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Despite fire risk, more Americans building near forests mongabay.com October 29, 2007
"Forests, farms, ranches, and other open spaces are rapidly being developed as more people are choosing to live at the urban fringe and in scenic, rural areas," said Forest Service Chief Abigail Kimbell. "This development is affecting our ability to manage national forests and grasslands as well as our ability to help private landowners and communities manage their land for public benefits and ecosystem services." The study, titled "National Forests on the Edge: Development Pressures on America's National Forests and Grasslands", found that nine national forests and grasslands are "projected to experience substantial increases in housing density on at least 25 percent of adjacent private land."
The report comes as California firefighters work to extinguish the last bush fires still burning in the state. In total, the fires consumed some 450 square miles and forced the evacuation of nearly a million residents. More than 1600 homes were destroyed and damaged are expected to exceed one billion dollars for lost homes alone. With more Americans building homes in fire-prone areas and evidence that the incidence of large forest fires is increasing due to climate change-induced drying, there are concerns that the recent fires in California could become a more regular occurrence. According to The Economist, some insurers have already stopped issuing insurance policies to new homeowners living in at-risk areas. National Forests on the Edge
Tags: california fires forest fires impact of climate change united states forests population environment green News index | RSS | News Feed | Twitter | Home Advertisements: Organic Apparel from Patagonia | Insect-repelling clothing
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