Los Angeles County provides numerous workshops and training opportunities to inform and educate residents about the challenges of living in L.A. Specific to Topanga and mountain living are protecting our homes against fire, and the Invasive Shothole Borer (ISHB), an insect that is infecting and further weakening our trees in a time of severe drought. Sycamore trees are not just dropping their leaves, but whole branches. It might be worth your while to take a couple hours out of your time to see what you can do to help. Protect Your Property Wednesday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m. Firescape Your Home, Free Online Workshop—Prevent your property from going up in smoke by joining an informative, virtual Firescaping workshop presented in partnership with the City of Malibu and L. A. County Waterworks District 29. The free workshop is specifically geared to residents of Topanga, Malibu, and the Santa Monica Mountains to learn landscaping and irrigation techniques to safeguard their homes against wildfire. Firescaping shows how to identify high-risk landscapes and which native plants and building materials help minimize damage. Douglas Kent, MS, MLA, author of the book, “Firescaping,” will guide you through an interactive session and answer your specific questions. Kent has been working with high-risk communities throughout California to create fire-protected communities since 1993 and has been on the front lines of many wildfires. He has been teaching at the California Polytechnic University, Pomona, since 2008. To register: westbasin.org/firescaping. Protect Your Trees September 16, 6-7 p.m., Small Beetle, Big Problem—A virtual online training to protect your trees from the non-native, Invasive Shothole Borer (ISHB) created especially for Topanga homeowners to show what to look for in your trees and steps to take to prevent the beetles from spreading. The beetles are found throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and is killing numbers of native and non-native trees.areHosted by the LA County Agricultural Commissioner Weights and Measures (ACWM). Commissioner Max Regis, Deputy Director, and Rachel Burnap, ACWM Associate Inspector, who identified the beetle in sycamore trees in Bonnell Park. Burnap will discuss insect biology and mitigation, how to identify and trap ISHB and report it, followed by a Q & A. Rachel Burnap at rburnap@acwm.lacounty.gov. For more information and a 2-minute video visit ucanr.edu/sites/pshb or ISHB.org. To join the meeting: lacountyboardofsupervisors.webex.com/lacountyboardofsupervisors/j.php?MTID=m7599bb39489c80463cf03b3ca44397ee. Meeting Number: 145 231 1488. Ask host for meeting password.