Wildfires are a growing challenge, affecting more families and businesses across the United States each year. This year began with tragic fires around Los Angeles, and in the weeks since, we’ve seen fast-moving wildfires in at least 14 states across the country.
With U.S. counties increasingly at high risk for wildfires—and not just in the West—there’s a growing need to invest in preventing wildfires before they happen and protecting affected communities from long-term costs. The public and private sectors must come together to create proactive solutions emphasizing community protection, wildfire prevention, responsible investment, and rapid recovery.
For the public sector, federal, state, and local leaders must develop and maintain whole-of-community responses that help ensure local preparedness. Policymakers also must address inadequate forest management and building and landscaping practices that heighten wildfire risk and must support sensible actions like tree trimming and maintenance that help prevent fires from starting in the first place.