Wildfires
![Night view of wildfire burning near residential area in California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_311125347.jpeg.webp?itok=NQikDm56)
Wildfire Exposure More Than Doubled Since 2000
More intense and widespread fires caused by climate change and changing air temperature are threatening more existing communities.
![Palm trees on Santa Barbara beach against the red glow of a wildfire](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_314364448.jpeg.webp?itok=cophC5wJ)
California Considers Climate Resiliency Bond for 2024 Ballot
The proposed state general obligation bond would address the need to protect communities and natural resources from the impacts of climate change.
![Male cyclists wearing helmet, sunglasses, and N95 mask stands with arms crossed in front of his bike](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_417506091.jpeg.webp?itok=R2xJCMIX)
Wildfire Smoke Takes Toll on Bike Commuters
How can people on bikes protect their lungs from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke?
![Aerial view of New York City including Empire State Building blanketed in orange wildfire smoke](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_611353166.jpeg.webp?itok=Q-V5ZSz0)
How Responsible Is Climate Change for Increased Wildfires?
“Nearly all” since 2001, according to a new study on California wildfires by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
![Wildfire threatening hillside homes in Yucaipa, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_376555438.jpeg.webp?itok=s51TnelL)
Home Insurers Are Fleeing California
Homeowners in the state are finding it increasingly difficult to secure insurance policies thanks to the growing risks of wildfire, drought, and other climate threats.
![Aerial view of scorched forest area in Round Mountain, central Texas](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/AdobeStock_550461115.jpeg.webp?itok=cD0bKGIq)
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.
![Paradise, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Camp%20Fire%20in%20Paradise.jpg.webp?itok=bFR6kzFH)
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.
![Orange hazy sky over San Francisco during wildfires](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1812106921.jpg.webp?itok=oxI9LEiS)
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.
![Fire burning on hillside behind house in Azusa, California](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1795511017.jpg.webp?itok=PIampD7E)
California Needs More Housing—But Where?
The state’s housing shortage is complicated by the growing number of places threatened by wildfires.
![Aerial view of Flagstaff, Arizona at sunset](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1535400788.jpg.webp?itok=ZzYW6jyi)
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.
![Louisiana Flooding](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/25182350603_55ebf20db3_h.jpg.webp?itok=Mb7RpqNU)
$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.
![Goats grazing in a California field](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_1994654336.jpg.webp?itok=Iw6tClDg)
How Goats Aid in Wildfire Prevention
Grazing goats can quickly and effectively clear steep or hard-to-reach hillsides of invasive, fire-fueling vegetation.
![Fire engine parked by burned area during Woolsey Fire](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Woolsey%20fire.jpg.webp?itok=5pGmrCHJ)
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.
![A campfire in the wilderness, surrounded by a group of people, burns with the stars overhead.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Campfire.jpg.webp?itok=RC0OTJoI)
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.
![Orange sky in San Francisco during wildfires](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Smoky%20San%20Francisco.jpg.webp?itok=SR7Qo9hs)
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.
![Drought](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/shutterstock_218581006.jpg.webp?itok=tR4eSBjw)
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.
![California Wildfire](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Wildfire_California_Santa_Clarita.jpg.webp?itok=HYbMtcUp)
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?
![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.](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/1600px-Burned_mobile_home_neighborhood_in_California_edit.jpg.webp?itok=kSwJ_oA7)
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.
![California Wildfire](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/Wildfire_California_Santa_Clarita.jpg.webp?itok=HYbMtcUp)
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.
![View of Castle Rock, Colorado](/files/styles/small_400/public/images/1600px-The_Meadows_in_Castle_Rock_Colorado_taken_from_Daniels_Park.jpg.webp?itok=zo0rOSQt)
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.
Pagination
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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