Global Wildfire Paradox: Human Impacts Worsen Even as Total Burned Area Declines

Posted4 months agoActive4 months ago

PaulHoule

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5 comments

phys.orgResearchstory

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WildfiresClimate ChangeHuman Impact

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Wildfires

Climate Change

Human Impact

A new study reveals a paradox in global wildfire trends, where total burned area is declining but human impacts are worsening due to increased exposure in fire-prone areas, a phenomenon observed in regions like the Western US.

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Sep 16, 2025 at 6:48 PM EDT
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Discussion (5 comments)

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vondur

4 months ago

1 reply

It's explained by people expanding into more fire prone areas. This is exactly what is happening in the Western US. The article does mention this.

PaulHouleAuthor

4 months ago

2 replies

It really amazes me that Americans move away from anywhere that has usable fresh water supplies and towards any place that doesn’t. Like we’re the wicked witch of the west or something.

dielotr

4 months ago

1 reply

The root cause is that once Americans move somewhere, a very large portion of them immediately turn around and try to prevent others from moving there, too. So you end up pushing people out to barren places.

PaulHouleAuthor

4 months ago

I don't believe it. People are leaving Detroit, not because anybody is trying to prevent them from coming. For that matter, Upstate NY is not particularly NIMBY but it does rain. On the other hand, people still want to seem to go to California but it's only a realistic plan if you're comfortable being unhoused.

One of my theories is that people in Arizona hate the government and New Yorkers don't because in New York you can drill a well and take care of yourself but in Arizona you have to plug into a tightly regulated network and live where they tell you you can live and how they tell you to live.

vondur

4 months ago

I mean, you could probably say the same thing about some of the Mediterranean areas of Europe, which are also fire prone. But this has expanded in California with the large population increases since the 1970's.

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ID: 45269280Type: storyLast synced: 11/20/2025, 6:30:43 PM

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