Wildfires

Paradise, California

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Housing and Fire Safety in California

A proposed development near the site of the devastating Camp Fire highlights the growing tension between building badly needed housing and protecting communities from heightened wildfire risk.

December 6, 2022 - Next City

Orange hazy sky over San Francisco during wildfires

Wildfires Second-Largest Source of Emissions in California

New research quantifies the impact of wildfires on California’s air quality, indicating that bigger and more frequent fires contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

October 21, 2022 - Yahoo News

Fire burning on hillside behind house in Azusa, California

California Needs More Housing—But Where?

The state’s housing shortage is complicated by the growing number of places threatened by wildfires.

October 13, 2022 - CALmatters

Aerial view of Flagstaff, Arizona at sunset

Where Floods Follow Wildfires

Neighborhoods not previously at risk of flooding face new challenges as burn scars from recent fires leave them vulnerable to floods.

September 14, 2022 - Arizona Public Radio

Louisiana Flooding

$7.3 Billion Federal Resilience Funding Program Announced

The Biden administration announced guidance for $7.3 billion in funding under the PROTECT Formula Program at the end of July.

August 4, 2022 - Federal Highway Administration

Goats grazing in a California field

How Goats Aid in Wildfire Prevention

Grazing goats can quickly and effectively clear steep or hard-to-reach hillsides of invasive, fire-fueling vegetation.

June 10, 2022 - National Geographic

Fire engine parked by burned area during Woolsey Fire

One-Fifth of California AirBnb Rentals in Fire Risk Areas

An analysis of Airbnb properties across the state shows that despite the high fire risk in many parts of the state, the company and hosts frequently don’t provide adequate warning and evacuation instructions to guests.

May 19, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

A campfire in the wilderness, surrounded by a group of people, burns with the stars overhead.

The Great Outdoors—Sans Campfires

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.

May 12, 2022 - The Denver Post

Orange sky in San Francisco during wildfires

Report: The West Is the Worst for Air Quality

Thanks to longer fire seasons and increasingly intense blazes, Western states are experiencing the nation’s worst air quality.

April 27, 2022 - High Country News

Drought

NOAA Expects U.S. Drought To Continue and Spread

Low rainfall and unusually high temperatures are contributing to worsening drought conditions in more than half of the continental United States.

March 21, 2022 - The New York Times

California Wildfire

Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises

As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?

March 17, 2022 - The Atlantic

 The remains of a mobile home park in Sylmar, California. 480 of the park's 600 mobile homes were burned in the Sayre Fire in November 2008.

Rental Housing at Risk From Environmental Hazards

From wildfires to hurricanes, environmental risks pose a threat to around 40 percent of U.S. rental units.

March 10, 2022 - Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University

California Wildfire

Judge Denies Proposed Development in Fire-Prone Area

The decision could signal a new reluctance to allow development in wildland areas at high risk for fires.

February 23, 2022 - Daily Press

View of Castle Rock, Colorado

Colorado Town Approves Wildfire Management Plan

As Castle Rock faces an increasing threat of wildfires, town officials urge residents to use the recommendations in the plan to eliminate risks and protect their homes against future blazes.

February 3, 2022 - The Denver Post

Wildfire

$50 Billion 'Wildfire Risk Strategy' Targets the Wildland-Urban Interface

The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January announced an ambitious, and only partially funded, new plan to reduce wildfire risks for communities around the United States.

January 31, 2022 - U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Capital

The Lesser-Known Programs in the Infrastructure Bill

While the focus has been on flashier components of the infrastructure bill, some smaller initiatives could have outsized impacts by shifting priorities and funding resilience efforts.

January 23, 2022 - Governing

Riverside, California

California Governor's Budget Supports Infill Development

Governor Newsom's new budget proposes incentives for developers to build housing in existing urban areas away from fire-prone zones to reduce fire risk and add to the state's insufficient housing stock.

January 20, 2022 - The Los Angeles Times

Durango, Colorado.

More Colorado Suburbs at Risk for Wildfires

Experts warn that more intense fires fueled by a warming climate are threatening an increasing number of Colorado's suburban communities.

January 17, 2022 - The Denver Post

 The remains of a mobile home park in Sylmar, California. 480 of the park's 600 mobile homes were burned in the Sayre Fire in November 2008.

U.S. Communities Increasingly at Risk of Extreme Weather Events

As development pushes into more wildfire-prone areas and climate change makes extreme weather conditions more common, more Americans are experiencing the destructive impacts of climate disasters.

January 9, 2022 - The Washington Post

2020 California wildfires from Oakland, CA

California Insurers Call for Pricing Based on 'Catastrophic Modeling'

Home insurers argue they should be able to base policy costs on modeling that accounts for future risks from climate change and overdevelopment.

January 4, 2022 - Politico

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

HUD’s 2023 Innovative Housing Showcase

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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.