The kicker in a recent article about the current realities of forest fires—and the cost of fighting them—in the United States: The federal government spends 624 percent more on fires than it did 20 years ago.
Roberto A. Ferdman reports on the insistent battle against forest fires in the United States: "More than 1.5 million acres of American forest have been burned to the ground so far this year, and that isn't even all that much. Last year, nearly 4.5 million acres were scorched; the year before, almost 9.5 million." Along a 20-year timeline, "[forest] fires have destroyed some 143 million acres since 1985, or roughly 5 million acres a year, on average."
All of that scorched earth also scorches the burden of American taxpayers: "The U.S. government now shells out some $2 billion a year just to stop them, according to the National Interagency Fire Center [pdf]. The total price, which includes wildlife preservation and land rehabilitation, is likely $1 billion to $2 billion more than that, according to estimates by research firm Headwaters Economics."
The rising cost of forest fires has left the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior with significant budget shortages and has even coined the frightening term "fire borrowing" to describe the duct-tape funding practices of federal forest fire measures.
FULL STORY: The cost of America’s forest fires has more than quintupled in the past 20 years

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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