SOUTHLAND – (INT) - Development in wildland areas is putting people in harm’s way.

That’s the upshot from data issued CalFire and the US Environmental Protection Agency shows that statewide, approximately 1 million acres of residential neighborhoods were built in or near wildland areas between 1990 and 2020. Roughly one-third of them are in Southern California.

Also—
• Wildfire damages are increasing. Average annual wildfire damages grew about five-fold between 1990–99 and 2010–18, when annual losses averaged more than $1 billion.

• Most wildfire structure losses do not occur in conifer forests. Almost half of all structures destroyed in wildfires between 2000–18 were in hardwood forest, woodland, or shrubland; just 14% were in conifer forests.

• Humans cause most fires in California. High-wind events in coastal California result in particularly large, damaging fires; Public Safety Power Shutoffs are an increasingly common tool used to prevent ignitions, the report concluded.

Story Date: April 15, 2025