Fire Prevention

As Central Texas Population Grows, So Does Fire Risk
Sprawl in and around Austin is contributing to growing wildfire risks, and local officials worry about a lack of public awareness of the issue.

Oregon Issues Wildfire Risk Map
After homeowners received letters assessing their property’s fire risk, questions remain about the next steps in building fire resilience.

How To Protect an Entire Town From Wildfire
In the wake of the destructive Camp Fire, a proposal to encircle the town of Paradise with a green belt could help keep future fires at bay and better protect vulnerable residents.

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?

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.

Study: Climate Change Overwhelmingly Responsible for 'Fire Weather'
New research points to global warming as the biggest factor in fueling longer, more destructive wildfire seasons.

Designing Houses to Survive Wildfires
Houses that aren't vulnerable to embers blowing in the wind, could save the government and homeowners millions.

Can We Know Which Homes in California Will Burn?
As the state's worst wildfire season ever refuses to end, an analyst from UCLA considers how land use and building codes determine the location and extent of the damage.

Orange County Fire Chief on Southern California's Year-Round Fire Season
California has suffered at least 700 wildfires since the beginning of 2016, and that number is only expected to rise this summer. Orange County Fire Chief Jeff Bowman explains what California must do to combat unprecedented risks.
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.
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.
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