L.A. Wildfires May be an Opportunity to Fireproof Communities

Hi,

My heart weighs heavy as I watch the widespread devastation caused by wildfires in Los Angeles. It’s troubling to me to see the scale of loss of life and property – particularly difficult because we know how to build communities that are wildfire resistant. It just takes thoughtful planning and the political will to implement such plans.

Getty Villa Museum, Los Angeles, California: Roman, Greek, and Etruscan Antiquities. Complete indexed photo collection at WorldHistoryPics.com. Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

My university’s communications office interviewed me yesterday for an article about the L.A. wildfires and I offered an urban planner’s perspective. The gist of my response was that rebuilding from loss presents a chance to do things differently: Los Angeles neighborhoods that are at high fire-risk can be rebuilt from the ground-up with water features, strategically placed and drought-resistant vegetation, and other physical fire barriers. While we’re at it, what a terrific opportunity to re-orient this car-dependent region into a pedestrian and transit-oriented one, where mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods feature bike infrastructure and reliable public transport.

The interview: Wildfires and the Costs of Living in Precarious Environments | Tufts Now

Thanks for reading!

- Justin