UC Merced Magazine | Volume XIX, Issue VII

(Continued from page 25) Kolden told KQED that two of the most common plants she sees in Californians’ yards are also among the most flammable: Italian cypress trees and juniper shrubs. Italian cypresses can burn quickly and spread flames to adjacent homes. Junipers, when set on fire, can shower embers around them, igniting whatever they land on. Kolden said she hopes homeowners will rethink planting these trees and instead choose plants that are aesthetically pleasing but less flammable, such as succulents or flower annuals. She pointed out to NPR that while many people are asking whether to rebuild in such fire-prone areas, there are smart building strategies that allow people to live in flammable landscapes with much less risk and without exacerbating the state housing shortage.

“ e goal in my mind is not to say, ‘Oh, well, people just shouldn’t live in these places,’ particularly because we have a pretty big housing crisis in California and elsewhere in the West. Instead, we can ask, ‘How can we build these structures not to burn, and how can we control the fuels around them to minimize that risk?’” Kolden said. Abatzoglou said it will take builders, communities and scientists working together, but there are ways to minimize that risk. “While the larger-scale factors that have contributed to these large-loss fires in L.A. are not going away any time soon, a multifaceted e ort to reduce fire impacts to communities would not only limit ignitions during periods of extreme fire weather but also harden homes and communities so when the next fire comes it does not result in the sort of tolls we saw,” he said.

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