Regulators are increasingly requiring outdoor adventurers to enjoy wilderness excursions without the solace and warmth of a campfire, as the drought and heat of climate change leaves natural areas ready to spark and burn year-round.

Conrad Swanson reports from Colorado, where campfires, that enduring symbol of the American West and the great outdoors, are increasingly illegal.
“The days of explorers ambling into Colorado’s backcountry, gathering kindling and sparking a fire for some supper and perhaps a s’more or two are gone,” writes Swanson for the Denver Post.
“Despite the spring months historically serving as a wet time of year, especially as snowpack begins to melt off, as of Tuesday, 24 of Colorado’s 64 counties and one Native American tribe reported at least some fire restrictions in place,” reports Swanson.
Regulators use a metric called energy release component (ERC)—basically the moisture levels in plants—to determine how hot a fire would burn and set campfire regulations accordingly. The ERC is up by as much as 50 percent around the American West, according to research and an expert cited in the source article.
Both state and federal land managers are responsible for the bans, which have become commonplace as wildfire risks grows and the state looks to protect not only its natural and built environments, but its $37 billion outdoor recreation economy.
FULL STORY: No more s’mores: Is this the end of campfires in Colorado?

Minneapolis Housing Plan a Success—Not for the Reason You Think
Housing advocates praise the city’s move to eliminate single-family zoning by legalizing triplexes on single-family lots, but that isn’t why housing construction is growing.

New White House Housing Initiative Includes Zoning Reform Incentives
The Biden administration this morning released a new program of actions intended to spur housing construction around the United States.

‘Mega-Landlords’ Threaten Housing Stability for Renters
As institutional investors buy up a larger share of single-family homes, the families renting them are increasingly vulnerable to rent increases and eviction.

More Funds to Transform the Puente Hills Landfill into a Regional Park
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors just approved an additional $28 million to support the development of the Puente Hills Regional Park at the landfill site.

Denver Freeway Widening Plans on Hold
The Colorado Department of Transportation’s plan to widen the Interstate 25 freeway through Denver is one of a few plans to widen urban freeways under consideration in the United States.

Public Perceptions of Sprawl and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Urban density has a bad reputation.
Clarion Associates
Urban Planning Partners
Sandy City
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Redwood City
City of Rohnert Park
City of Hot Springs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.