It's impossible to ignore the iconic towering palm trees that line the city's streets. They are an integral part of the city's atmosphere, but they might also pose a threat to LA's survival.
Earlier this month, shocking images of blazing palm trees suddenly appeared.
The trees are extremely combustible, with dry, dead fronds igniting into embers and easily carried away by the wind for extensive distances.
Similarly, the peeling bark of Los Angeles's everywhere-evident eucalyptus trees can have the same effect.
Although there has been debate over whether to remove the trees in Los Angeles, UCLA Professor Stephanie Pincetl does not think that all of them need to be felled.
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She proposed planting palm and eucalyptus trees in parks or other less flammable areas, so residents and tourists can still appreciate them while minimizing the risk.
The majority of palm trees in California are not indigenous to the area.
The California Fan Palm, which is indigenous to the southern section of the state, is California's sole native palm species.
The trees were initially introduced to Los Angeles by Spanish missionaries in the 18th Century, who used their fronds as part of a religious ceremony, as reported by The Guardian.
Over the passage of time, they came to represent wealth.
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By 1990, Los Angeles had roughly 75,000 palm trees.
Although the exact number of palm trees remaining after the latest fires is unknown, a USC study has revealed that 12 percent of the trees in Downtown LA have extremely combustible properties.
Eucalyptus trees, native to Australia and also abundant in Los Angeles, also create a similar threat.
It is not yet clear whether palm trees played a role in spreading the fires in January, but University of Southern California Professor Esther Marguilies wouldn't be surprised.
"Sigh, it's only logical," she stated to The Guardian.
'A singular Mexican fan palm frond is equivalent in damage potential to an entire branch getting entangled in the wind and getting transported, and when that becomes stuck on a roof, under an eaves or any other flammable material, that poses a significantly greater danger compared to a single pine needle or sycamore leaf.'
The more neglected and malnourished a tree becomes, the higher its risk of going up in flames.
Experts recommend residents to plant native species in order to help establish a certain level of fire resistance against devastating wildfires.
The article recommends planting trees including coast live oaks, sumacs, California lilacs, and Western redbuds.
"They are similar to a grocery store for native plants. If you only plant one thing, make it oaks," Nick Jensen, a director of the conservation programs of the California Native Plant Society, advised The Los Angeles Times.
According to The Times, oak trees are not only more resistant to fire, but they can also recover from fires by regrowing in the same places where they previously grew.
Some non-native plant species typically thrive in fires are fruit and citrus trees, such as cherry and peach trees.
"'Most palm trees have never been a good solution,' Margulies said to The Guardian. 'We need to change the perception of LA.'
'The native vegetation should be truly cherished when it comes to residing organisms, especially trees that natively root and naturally flourish within this region.'
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