To Avoid Future Catastrophes Like The California Fires, We Must Learn To Build Smarter

By JPB Fellow Marccus D. Hendricks and William Mobley, Guest Writers

The recent Camp fire in California has been declared the deadliest in the state’s history. The devastation is yet another example of the collision of climate-related risks and the human-built environment. Climate change isn’t the singular cause of the Camp, Hill and Woosley fires; however, it has amplified environmental factors (including warmer and dried-out soils) in creating a longer fire season that sets the stage for increased risk. Growth and development have met these environmental factors at what experts call the “wildland-urban interface.” Read more here.