fire breaks are easily incorporated into landscaping, as well as stretches of smaller plants between masses of trees......of course, if the wind picks up and starts blowing burning material around, it becomes much more difficult to control. and if it hits closely packed building, they all have to be fire resistant, or the one or two that aren't are just going to be kindling for the ones that are...fire resistant isn't fire proof. it can give emergency responders time to get things under control, though.
controlled burns can help, but you have to be very careful, or else you've just started the next cycle of fires....