Wildfire and population growth are on a collision course in the Sierra New research by Sierra Nevada Alliance finds that large numbers of people are moving to very high fire hazard areas of the Sierra, leading to more wildfires, more taxpayer expense, and more loss of life.
In the next 20-40 years, even more people and homes will be in harm’s way. The population of the Sierra is expected to triple by the year 2040, and new research by Sierra Nevada Alliance finds that 94% of the land slated for rural residential development is classified as very high or extreme fire hazard by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (also known as CDF or CalFire). At the same time, climate change is already making summers in the Sierra hotter and drier, leading to an increase in the frequency and severity of catastrophic wildfire. The combination of population growth and climate change in our fire-prone region is creating a “perfect firestorm” where increasing numbers of people and homes will be at greater risk of catastrophic wildfire.
