Neighborhoods not previously at risk of flooding face new challenges as burn scars from recent fires leave them vulnerable to floods.
Like other Western states, Arizona is experiencing longer, more destructive wildfires. “And now,” writes Ryan Heinsius for Arizona Public Radio, “the burn scars left behind are causing flooding in neighborhoods that previously weren’t flood prone.” According to Heinsius, “Local emergency officials have scrambled to ease the impacts on residents, but long-term solutions won’t come immediately.”
“Arizona’s experiencing about a 2-degree increase in temperature Celsius, resulting in really just a variety of conditions that provide a huge hazard,” says Andrew Sanchez Meador, executive director of the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University.
For now, “Officials have provided as much short-term mitigation as they can in the form of hundreds of thousands of sandbags and miles of concrete barriers just to weather monsoon season.” Experts say long-term solutions include forest restoration projects that can protect communities in the coming years.
FULL STORY: The inevitable next time: Flagstaff residents grapple with the new reality of wildfire and flood
How US Cities Can Prepare for Climate Disasters
Resilience, encompassing infrastructure, governance, economic strength, and social cohesion, is critical for cities to mitigate rising climate risks like flooding, wildfires, and heat, ensuring long-term recovery and adaptability.
Saving Lower Manhattan
A debate over how to protect the East River waterfront from Sandy-level flooding and storm damage has delayed the project as community activists decry the city's last-minute change of plans.
Flooding Less of a Concern as Hurricane Memories Fade
Residents of Houston are less likely to think of flooding as a concern, or to think development should be prohibited in flood-prone areas, as in the years immediately following Hurricane Harvey.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
Supreme Court Ruling in Pipeline Case Guts Federal Environmental Law
The decision limits the scope of a federal law that mandates extensive environmental impact reviews of energy, infrastructure, and transportation projects.
Texas State Bills to Defund Dallas Transit Die
DART would have seen a 30% service cut, $230M annual losses had the bills survived.
Bikeshare for the Win: Team Pedals to London Cricket Match, Beats Rivals Stuck in Traffic
While their opponents sat in gridlock, England's national cricket team hopped Lime bikes, riding to a 3-0 victory.
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)