This project investigated how recent wildfire experiences affected housing recovery programming, land use planning, and requirements for household-level mitigation in three Northern California communities. Although the communities varied in population size and density, level of affluence, and fire history, we found several cross-cutting themes, including concerns about providing adequate safe, sustainable, and affordable housing, vegetation management, and economic development. Tradeoffs in balancing these goals were common. We also found evidence of tension between post-disaster recovery and mitigation efforts, which manifested as conflicts between state and local actors on priorities in recovery and mitigation, as well as competition between jurisdictions for limited post-fire resources. Finally, while we found many similarities to recovery and mitigation processes in other hazard contexts (e.g., floods, hurricanes), our findings suggest that the high degree of coordination required at very fine scales may distinguish wildfire from other hazards. “
From the Ashes: Mitigation Policy After Wildfire in California
Schumann, R., Mockrin, M. H., Brokopp Binder, S., & Greer, A. (2022). From the Ashes: Mitigation Policy After Wildfire in California. Natural Hazards Center Mitigation Matters Grant Report Series, 13. Boulder, CO: Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder.