Wildland-Urban Interface

Spokane Imposes Temporary Ban on New Subdivision Housing Due to Wildfire Risk
Citing inadequate fire protection and public safety resources, the Spokane City Council has temporarily halted subdivision development in the wildland-urban interface of Latah Valley.

Can Insurance Woes Finally End Sprawl?
Environmental risks are becoming too much for the home insurance industry to bear. Could this be the first signs of the collapse and reversal of sprawling land use patterns?

Planning for Proximity, for the Climate’s Sake
A new global platform will help the world identify and encourage opportunities for more proximity in the built environment—development patterns that can help reduce sources of greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution if built well.

Home Insurers Are Fleeing California
Homeowners in the state are finding it increasingly difficult to secure insurance policies thanks to the growing risks of wildfire, drought, and other climate threats.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Housing and Fire Safety in California
A proposed development near the site of the devastating Camp Fire highlights the growing tension between building badly needed housing and protecting communities from heightened wildfire risk.

California Needs More Housing—But Where?
The state’s housing shortage is complicated by the growing number of places threatened by wildfires.

Oregon Issues Wildfire Risk Map
After homeowners received letters assessing their property’s fire risk, questions remain about the next steps in building fire resilience.

Fire-Ravaged Paradise Plans for a Resilient Rebirth
A new urban design plan calls for a robust buffer zone to protect the town from fast-spreading fires, among other mitigation measures.

Housing Affordability and Worsening Wildfires: Twin Crises
As wildfires grow more destructive, how far should states go to protect homes located in high-risk areas?

Judge Denies Proposed Development in Fire-Prone Area
The decision could signal a new reluctance to allow development in wildland areas at high risk for fires.

$50 Billion 'Wildfire Risk Strategy' Targets the Wildland-Urban Interface
The U.S. Department of Agriculture in January announced an ambitious, and only partially funded, new plan to reduce wildfire risks for communities around the United States.

California Governor's Budget Supports Infill Development
Governor Newsom's new budget proposes incentives for developers to build housing in existing urban areas away from fire-prone zones to reduce fire risk and add to the state's insufficient housing stock.

More Colorado Suburbs at Risk for Wildfires
Experts warn that more intense fires fueled by a warming climate are threatening an increasing number of Colorado's suburban communities.

A New Approach to Wildfire Resilience: Property Buy Backs, Fire Resistant Parks
The city of Paradise is employing a natural hazard mitigation strategy long practiced in flood zones. The idea could be expanded in other places where wildland meets human development.

California's Fastest Growing City: Paradise
Paradise, California—devastated by the deadly Camp Fire of 2018—is attracting new and returning residents as the city rebuilds its housing stock.

6 Principles to Manage Wildfire Risk With Effective Housing Policy
The connection between housing policy and climate change is made clear by the increasing damage of wildfires in California.

Massive Tejon Ranch Development Paused; Judge Cites Wildfire, Greenhouse Gas Emissions
In the works since 1999, the Centennial Project by Tejon Ranch Co. seemed to have cleared its final hurdle in 2018, but a Los Angeles County court ruling has created another hurdle for the sprawling development.

Wildfires in the West Are Climate Change Lessons for Everyone
The wildfires burning throughout the West, with terrible but photogenic consequences, come with a reminder that it's only going to get worse unless massive changes are made right here in the United States.

Poll: The Public Supports Development Limits in California's Wildfire Areas
An idea that is gaining support with the public as the state of California suffers through catastrophic fire season after catastrophic fire season is still a deeply difficult political proposition.

Rebuilding Paradise: Time to Consider Sewers
Paradise is the largest incorporated city west of the Mississippi River lacking a public sewer system. The town of of 27,000 relies on septic systems, now potentially damaged. Without sewers, multi-family housing construction becomes more difficult.
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