Wildfires
More Americans Living Next Door to Fire Danger
A summer of drought and devastating fires has demonstrated the dangers of allowing residential developments to sprawl ever farther into wild, natural environments.
On the Altered Landscapes of the Wildfire West
The heightened intensity of wildfires in the Western United States, along with other human factors, are short-circuiting the natural processes of rebirth.
Lessons from Washington's Record Breaking Wildfire Season
The largest fire in the state history is burning in Washington. This year's particularly bad fires had predictable, perhaps preventable, origins.
A 'New Era of Wildfires' in Alaska
The last great U.S. wilderness won't forever remain the frozen tundra imagined by residents of the Lower 48. A new report finds evidence of Alaska's transformation in the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires around the state.
Fighting Wildfires with Big Data
WIFIRE, a real-time and data-driven simulation, prediction, and visualization technology, combines satellite and remote sensor data to forecast the potential spread of wildfires.
Poor Planning Decisions Exacerbate Wildfires—Should Locals be Held Accountable?
A new study by the union of Concerned Scientists faults local development policies that place homes in wildfire-prone areas for the increasing cost of wildfires. Should local agencies split the bill for the risks they've permitted?
The Incredible, Rising Cost of Forest Fires
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.
Congress' Head-in-the-Sand Approach to Fire Management
The way Congress has appropriated funds for the prevention of forest fires, and fighting forest fires when they occur, guarantees that they will become more costly and dangerous in the future.
Half the Country Now Facing Drought
On the flip-side of the polar vortex in the climate news department, drought conditions are worsening across the country. In much of the West, the drought means water supply challenges and a growing threat of fire.
Fight Fires with Funds: New Federal Funding Mechanism Proposed for Wildfires
“Robbing Peter to pay Paul” and “thumb in the dike” describe the way the federal government has been funding the cost of fighting the nation’s wildfires. President Obama’s new budget proposal could change the current arrangement.
Sunny California Is Getting a Whole Lot Warmer
With the number of days of 'extreme heat' on the rise, and dramatic increases projected, will global warming melt the Golden State?
High-End Real Estate Makes Wildfires Worse
In Colorado and the West, the most desirable real estate is also the most likely to burn, writes Michael Kodas.
'Firescaping' For Fire Safety
The first 'firescape' garden is in Santa Barbara, CA, and stands as an educational tool for landscaping homes for fire protection.
State Burns Up Over Counties' Growth Policies
When you live near raging wildfires, you begin to understand why the State of California spends nearly $1 billion a year on firefighting. You also start to see why some state lawmakers say it's time for more local responsibility.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
