Communities v. Wildfires
Tinder in the Wildland Urban Interface
Wildfire season in the United States is now longer, hotter, and fiercer. With more communities developing in areas that have historically been unoccupied and on the cusp of wildlands with vegetative fuels, the damage and costs of fighting wildfires have become astronomical. The federal government has borne the brunt of these costs, but local governments can do more to take responsibility for their built environment and construct fire-resistant communities. Professor Stephen R. Miller discusses one key framework, the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), that allows local communities to meaningfully engage with wildfire management and collaborate with all levels of government to prioritize mitigation projects. Through the CWPP process, communities assess risks and outline strategies to address them, including regulatory tools like zoning and nuisance abatement laws and nonregulatory tools like insurance rebates and homeowners association covenants.
