US wildfires: Climate change and home construction likely causes - Opinion

Source(s): Centre Daily Times

Climate change induced persistent heat waves and drought paired with lightning strikes and high winds resulted in devastating fires throughout the Western part of the USA, writes Michael E Kraft of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay on the pages of Centre Daily. Reason for the increased devastation caused by fire range from a change in federal environmental policies, land use, climate change and suppression of natural fires.

Improved forest management, capacity building of Forest Service personnel could lead to less risk. Mr Kraft adds: "Public education, greater use of community wildfire protection plans and adoption of improved zoning laws and building codes could limit home development in locations where it increases fire risk."

Attachments

View full story , English

Explore further

Hazards Wildfire
Country and region United States of America
Share this

Please note: Content is displayed as last posted by a PreventionWeb community member or editor. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of UNDRR, PreventionWeb, or its sponsors. See our terms of use

Is this page useful?

Yes No Report an issue on this page

Thank you. If you have 2 minutes, we would benefit from additional feedback (link opens in a new window).