The Cost of Expansion into Fragile Ecosystems Creates an Increased Risk of Wildfires in Vulnerable Areas

• NPG
• March 1, 2022
• NPG Commentary
• 1 Comment

March 1, 2022

Population Growth Is Altering Existing Ecosystems

Worldwide, we know the earth is getting warmer. Nationally, we know that the western states are overwhelmed with wildfires every year. A recent study published by The Conversation shows that the areas experiencing the most population growth are also the same areas where the (dry) vegetation creates the highest fire risks.

Whether or not an area is prone to wildfires is naturally determined by the surrounding environment of trees, plants, and grasses. When plants are dry, they burn faster. By taking that information and looking at where people are moving, the study determined that the areas with the highest fire risk also have the fastest rate of population growth. Looking at population growth, researchers determined “while the number of people living in the wildland-urban interface overall roughly doubled from 1990 to 2010, the population in its highest-hazard regions grew by 160%. As more people move into these areas, the opportunity for fires to ignite rises, as does the number of people at risk.”

Zooming out to see what people living in these high-risk areas can do, the research team offered two action-based ideas. 1. Community leaders can gather information to identify where “human activity overlaps with drought-sensitive regions to improve local land-use planning, prepare firefighting resources and develop safer evacuation routes.” And 2. “Property owners can keep a safe defensible space of at least 100 feet of non-vegetated land on all sides of a home to help protect their structures when wildfires occur. Retrofitting homes using fire-retarding materials or double-paned windows can help, too.”

This study focused on the west coast, but its findings can be used to consider disaster-prone areas across the U.S. where families continue to flock. As population growth continues into these previously green spaces, attention must be given to the triggering effects of the construction on the environment for the safety of all. In the first Forum paper of 2022, Dr. Karen Shragg is intentional in her purpose to work to curb population growth in the name of conservation, sharing: “Many articles have been written about the way Americans are harmed when overcrowding destroys our way of life, creates overcrowded hospitals, drains our rivers, crowds our freeways and increases homelessness. This [essay] is about including conservation in the mix of reasons to curb our population.”

To read more about population related issues, please click here.

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One Reply to “The Cost of Expansion into Fragile Ecosystems Creates an Increased Risk of Wildfires in Vulnerable Areas”

• A trease

  March 1, 2022

  As we go into bidens open border for the second year, many of the flood of people will go to our already crowded cities making them even less pleasant to live in. Those that can, will leave for less crowded areas pushing people into the remaining open spaces. This, combined with our legal immigration, is what is causing the US to loose 6000 acs of open space per day. Infinite population growth in a finite area, as is official US population policy, has brought us to this sorry state. The era of an endless open continent that could accept the worlds poor for ever ended over a 100 years ago. Time to acknowledge the facts.