The Burning Issue
Wildfire season in North America has gotten progressively more intense over the past few decades, lasting longer and burning nearly 10 times as many acres as it did just 30 years ago. As these disasters worsen, we’ve seen fires reshape communities and economies across the U.S. West. Follow Grist as it delves into all aspects of the 2021 fire season — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.
In This Series
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![Smoke from a wildfire rising above a field of grape vines]()
![Smoke from a wildfire rising above a field of grape vines]()
As wildfires worsen, more California farms are deemed too risky to insure
The skyrocketing cost of fire insurance foreshadows a larger confrontation over so-called managed retreat.
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Good wildfire news? Evidence from the Bootleg Fire supports thinning forests.
A story from Oregon offers lessons for a dried-out, overheated West.
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![a big rock holds an orange and white sign that says]()
![a big rock holds an orange and white sign that says]()
Tourists are desperate to return to national forests … just in time for wildfire season
Dry conditions have put public lands in uncharted territory this summer.
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![Collage: A woman and man sitting on top of a speech bubble shape with a wildfire in the background]()
![Collage: A woman and man sitting on top of a speech bubble shape with a wildfire in the background]()
During wildfires and hurricanes, a language gap can be deadly
The importance of translating emergency warnings is often a lesson learned too late.
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![A firefighter walks past a burning house]()
![A firefighter walks past a burning house]()
Why California is building new houses in the path of wildfires
The housing market is dangerously hot.
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![Fire blazing in the backgroud with two hot shot silhouetted in the foreground as they attempt to fight California wildfires]()
![Fire blazing in the backgroud with two hot shot silhouetted in the foreground as they attempt to fight California wildfires]()
How federal agencies are failing their wildland firefighters
Wildland firefighters protect us. But are we taking care of them?
