Severe pruning — a.k.a. "coat racking" — is never good for ficus and other evergreen trees, but pruning during high heat is even worse.

The Whittier City Council voted on Tuesday night to move forward with razing 83 ficus trees as part of a redesign of its commercial center despite backlash.

Ficus trees along the 200-block of El Camino Real in Tustin on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. Many of the large ficus trees will be removed as part of the Old Town Improvement plan.