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More homes in the West are facing wildfire risk as climate change causes longer, stronger blazes

This is an image of the Davis Fire burning in a forest of tall pine trees. The sky is filled with black and gray smoke.
Courtesy Of Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District
The Davis Fire burning south of Reno sparked on Sept. 7, 2024, and destroyed 14 buildings within the first two days.

A new report shows climate change is causing more extreme fires, putting more homes at risk. The findings come as the Davis Fire south of Reno, which sparked on Sept. 7, 2024, has burned more than 5,000 acres and destroyed at least 14 buildings.

Nearly two-thirds of counties in the Western U.S. are now considered high or very high risk for wildfire, according to research group Climate Central, which analyzed U.S. Forest Service data.

That’s because human-caused climate change is creating wildfires that burn longer and stronger, said Kaitlyn Trudeau, a senior research associate at Climate Central.

“The kind of wildfires we're seeing now are not the same kind of fires that we would consider to be natural and healthy,” she said. “They are monster fires. The conditions that really allow these fires to blow up have become much more frequent.”

When high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds combine, it’s known as fire weather. According to Climate Central, fire weather days are becoming more and more common throughout the West.

This is a map of the United States that indicates the level of wildfire risk in states. States shaded yellow are low risk, orange are medium, red are high, and maroon are very high. Most of the west is shaded red and maroon.
Courtesy Of Climate Central
Nearly two-thirds of counties in the Western U.S. are now considered high or very high risk for wildfire, according to research group Climate Central, which analyzed U.S. Forest Service data.

Trudeau said these hot, dry and windy conditions make wildfires easier to start and spread, and more challenging for fire protection agencies to fight or prevent.

She added that this comes at a time when more people are moving into the wildland-urban interface, where wildlands and development collide.

In all, more than one-third of the U.S. population (nearly 116 million people) and about one-third of all buildings (48 million homes and residential structures) are in areas with high wildfire risk.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Kaleb is an award-winning journalist and KUNR’s Mountain West News Bureau reporter. His reporting covers issues related to the environment, wildlife and water in Nevada and the region.