"The striking aspect of the Nation’s fire problem is the indifference with which Americans confront the subject. Destructive fire takes a huge toll in lives, injuries, and property losses, yet there is no need to accept those losses with resignation. Th...
Earlier this year, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a report on the deadliest disaster of 2018—the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, California. Eighty-one people died in that fire; 18,000 structures were l...
The 2021 fire year is halfway through, and it has been a busy one so far. As of today, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports over 32,000 fires had been reported, burning over 1.6 million acres. Communities have been threatened and homes ha...
Americans celebrate July 4 with many traditions, including fireworks, to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence by representatives of 13 British colonies to break away from England and form a new nation. We love and cherish our holiday t...
How can diverse disciplines make sense of the complex problem of wildfire? What are some ways that professionals in disaster resilience, land use planning, building design, construction, and insurance become involved in a national policy push to end the d...
As president of the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), Joe Fox, said in testimony on May 20 to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, “Wildfires in America are an emergency and should be treated like one.” At that h...
Mexico City experienced an environmental contingency on April 27, the second in less than a week as decreed by the Environmental Commission of the Metropolitan Area (CAME). Jorge Zavala, coordinator of the National Meteorological Service, explained t...
With bone-dry conditions across the state, the talk among Californians is wildfire. How many fires will burn this year? Will 2021 top the four million acres that burned last year? Will my community be hit next? If any of my fellow Californians didn...
In 2020, wildfires in Oregon killed nine people and destroyed more than 5,000 homes and businesses. In response, legislators in 2021 are considering a number of measures to help those impacted, like bills to limit tax liability of victims and aid local go...
May 1 is Wildfire Community Preparedness Day and people all over the country are organizing projects and activities for that day and throughout the month. One great way to help people get excited for what kinds of activities they can do to reduce their wi...