According to a new study published in Environmental Research Letters, the top 10% most valuable homes in the western United States are 70% more likely to be in high wildfire hazard areas than median-value properties measured by county.
Wildfires have recently increased dramatically in the western United States as a result of climate change and past forest and fire management practices. Policymakers are currently debating how to distribute the costs of wildfire suppression and mitigation among households in both low- and high-risk areas.
Researchers at Resources for the Future, an independent research organization based in Washington, DC, studied residential properties in the western United States and their relative risk of wildfire exposure using granular spatial data. The team investigated the location, value, community characteristics, and proximity to previous wildfires of properties.
According to the study, high-income, white, and elderly communities, as well as owners of high-value properties, bear a disproportionate share of the risk and impact of recent wildfires. However, the study reveals a disproportionate exposure to wildfire risk among low-value homes in the western United States, as well as among Native American communities.
In spite of increased attention to the distribution of environmental and climate-related risks across socioeconomic groups, and its relevance to current wildfire-related policy debates, the distribution of wildfire hazard was previously not well understood.
Matthew Wibbenmeyer
Wildfire risk often coexists with access to benefits such as beautiful views, recreational opportunities, and proximity to nature. As a result, wildfire exposure differs from other anthropogenic hazards like pollution or waste facilities, which disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.
Because of climate change and past forest and fire management practices, the western United States has seen a dramatic increase in wildfires in recent years. Policymakers are debating how to divide the costs of wildfire suppression and mitigation among households in both low- and high-risk areas.
Americans facing the toughest housing market in years aren’t just grappling with high property prices and rising mortgage rates, but are also increasingly at risk of natural disasters, such as floods, tornadoes and wildfires — no matter where they live.
Large parts of the American West are battling wildfires as a result of the worst drought in at least 1,200 years. The Oak Fire, California’s largest fire this year, is threatening Yosemite National Park during the park’s busiest season, while fires in Colorado have forced thousands to flee.
Wildfires are becoming more intense and frequent as a result of climate change, which is drying out vegetation and increasing the likelihood of fires sparking and burning longer. Climate change is also increasing the likelihood of wildfires in areas known for their temperate and humid climates, not just the West.
“In spite of increased attention to the distribution of environmental and climate-related risks across socioeconomic groups, and its relevance to current wildfire-related policy debates, the distribution of wildfire hazard was previously not well understood,” comments Matthew Wibbenmeyer, lead author of the paper.
“Policies that provide financial assistance to high-risk areas for wildfires may be subsidizing wealthy households. However, because high wildfire hazard areas are quite diverse, addressing concerns about the costs of increasing wildfire hazard may necessitate a geographically targeted approach aimed at reducing the burden on the most vulnerable communities” Molly Robertson, a co-author, adds.
Dr. Wibbenmeyer and his colleagues discovered that the top ten percent most valuable homes in this region are 70 percent more likely to be in high hazard areas than median-value properties by using granular spatial data to study residential properties in the western United States and their relative risk for wildfire exposure. According to the researchers, this is because wildfire hazard frequently coexists with access to benefits such as proximity to nature, scenic views, and recreational opportunities.
However, the experts warn that their findings show a disproportionate exposure to wildfire hazards among low-value properties in the western United States, as well as among Native American communities.
