It’s the dead of winter, and yet the nation’s attention has been gripped by wildfires. The devastating fires in Los Angeles have tragically taken the lives of at least 27 people, displaced thousands of families, and destroyed historic neighborhoods. While the threat of wildfire is an inevitability in our fire-adapted forests and shrublands, its utter destruction of American cities is not. Parts of California currently burning could have been made more fire-proof but for misguided environmental regulations.
There are many culprits, both direct and indirect, for the tragedy unfolding in LA, from state and municipal resource mismanagement to natural forces beyond anyone’s control. However, there are concrete steps we can take to prepare for this cycle of nature. Specific policy changes could mitigate the destruction from future wildfires, foster healthier forest ecosystems, and protect our communities.
A mainstream narrative that often emerges after a destructive wildfire is that climate change is to blame. Climatic changes that create longer periods of hot, dry weather certainly do exacerbate the conditions that drive wildfires. But blaming wildfires primarily on climate change isn’t accurate. It sidesteps tangible solutions that, if implemented, could make the next wildfire less severe. Moreover, subsidizing the adoption of electric vehicles as a climate policy, for example, won’t mitigate the impact of next season’s wildfires. Forest restoration practices, however, could.
