Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Started Plant Fire Testing

Researchers are evaluating 15 native plant species to determine how effectively they resist fire ignition.

Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in Botany

Isometric editorial illustration of a metallic combustion chamber testing a native plant, representing scientific research into wildfire-resistant landscaping. — The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has initiated a research project to test the fire-resistance properties of 15 native California plant species. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Would you choose native plants for your property if they were proven to lower fire risk?

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden has launched a new scientific testing program to measure the flammability of native plants. By using a specialized combustion chamber, the team aims to identify species that could minimize property loss during wildfires.

Why it matters

Identifying fire-resistant plants could reduce the environmental and financial burden of maintaining traditional, barren fuel breaks around homes. This research helps residents adopt landscaping strategies that offer better protection against increasing wildfire hazards.

The testing program utilizes equipment that reaches 932 degrees Fahrenheit to analyze plant samples. Researchers are coupling these combustion results with regional wind-modeling data to better understand how local vegetation behaves during high-wind events.

The players

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

This institution is a local center for plant conservation and botanical research.

Kristina Fauss

She is the lead fire scientist for the new program and holds a doctorate in geography from UC Santa Barbara.

California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection

This state regulatory body is responsible for setting fire safety and defensible space standards.

The details

Lead scientist Kristina Fauss uses a custom combustion chamber to measure ignitability, combustibility, and sustainability across 15 native plants. The research aims to move beyond simple observation by modeling how these plants interact with the extreme wind conditions that drive 90 percent of burn areas in Southern California.

Kristina Fauss moved west to study wildfire issues in 2018.
Three Monterey County fires burned nearly 60,000 acres beginning in August 2026.
The research program launched in September 2026.

Deeper Dive

This research provides the empirical, botanical evidence needed to help homeowners satisfy the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection 5-foot defensible space rule. The program marks a departure from traditional barren fuel breaks by seeking to integrate native plants into fire-mitigation strategies.

Local residents may soon be able to replace barren fuel breaks with specific fire-resistant native plants that meet state safety requirements. This research could eventually lower maintenance costs for homeowners who are legally required to manage vegetation around their properties.

The takeaway

Selecting the right vegetation is a crucial step in preparing homes for the increased wildfire hazards seen over the last 15 years. Residents should prioritize plants that demonstrate high sustainability and low ignitability to help protect their property from wind-driven fires.