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Resilient development

Resilient development integrates wildfire risk into the way communities are planned, built and managed, reducing exposure and vulnerability before disasters occur.

Preventing new development in the highest-risk areas, maintaining defensible space around settlements, protecting critical infrastructure and preserving natural buffers can all help reduce the likelihood that wildfires become catastrophic disasters.

Resilient building and mitigation practices are a cornerstone of this approach. Fire-resistant construction materials, ember-resistant design, appropriate roofing and ventilation systems, and the use of building codes tailored to wildfire hazards can significantly improve the survivability of homes and public infrastructure.

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A sunrise casts its light over the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of West Los Angeles, in the aftermath of the 2025 wildfires.
Update
Report finds building wildfire-resilient homes costs less than residents expect

Integrating wildfire resilience into new construction is practical and economical, according to the report’s findings.

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
The cost of wildfire-resilient construction in Colorado thumbnail
Documents and publications
The cost of wildfire-resilient construction in Colorado

This report assesses wildfire-resilient construction costs in Colorado, finding that adopting CWRC Class 1 or IBHS Essential standards increases costs minimally, while higher-tier pathways add moderate premiums focused on exterior components like decks.

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
A decision-support tool for fire risk assessment and mitigation of motorway bridges: A European case study thumbnail
Documents and publications
A decision-support tool for fire risk assessment and mitigation of motorway bridges: A European case study

This study aims to develop a risk-based model for assessing fire hazards in highway bridges, intended as a practical decision-support tool for infrastructure managers to identify critical scenarios and prioritise mitigation strategies.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction (Elsevier)
Update
Analysis finds most vulnerable properties face 3.6x greater risk of severe bushfire damage

Analysis of more than 36,000 buildings affected by the January Victorian bushfires shows why broad hazard assessments alone cannot reveal the vulnerability of individual properties.

Nearmap
Update
Wildfire‑damaged historic buildings may not be as ruined as they appear, but saving them means acting fast

In a summer of wildfires severe enough to trigger Spain’s first-ever national emergency for a forest fire, a historic stone structure called the Nevera de Castro stands in a landscape burned bare in the Castellón region

Conversation Media Group, the
Update
Additional benefits of wildfire-resistant homes

A growing wildfire threat and rising home insurance costs are driving many homeowners to make their homes more wildfire resistant. Many upgrades also provide lasting benefits beyond lower wildfire losses that can offset the initial investment over time.

Headwaters Economics
Update
Wildfires can contaminate nearby homes and water systems – here’s what Spokane’s returning residents need to know

While there are many safety concerns after a wildfire, three deserve particular attention: chemicals in surviving buildings, the safety of drinking water and whether burned lots are ready for rebuilding.

Conversation Media Group, the
Research briefs
Lessons from the 2025 California wildfires—why DRR falls short

A paper published in Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences in April 2026 uses the 2025 California wildfires as a starting point to discuss broader systemic failures in disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Climate Adaptation Platform (CAP)
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