March 1 Digest: This Week in Wildfire Recovery News
This is a digest of selected news and media that emerged over the last week related to wildfire emergencies, recovery efforts, and resilience building efforts in the American West.
Some 2020 Wildfire Survivors Frustrated With FEMA and SBA Loan Process
From KGW8, by Christine Pitawanich | February 25, 2022
Brandon Kirk says he and his wife were denied four times by both FEMA and the Small Business Administration before getting aid. Then more financial headaches began.
Affordable Housing and Climate Change with Laurie Schoeman of Enterprise Community Partners
From America Adapts, by Doug Parsons | February 14, 2022
Doug Parsons hosts Laurie Schoeman, National Director for Climate Risk Reduction and Resilience at Enterprise Community Partners, to discuss affordable housing and climate change; standardizing resilience in building codes; what’s problematic about the subject of managed retreat; Resilience21; and a new, important FEMA housing policy change
'There Should Have Been a Failsafe': Marshall Fire Victims Say They Are Massively Underinsured
From The Denver Channel, by Jennifer Kovaleski | February 25, 2022
Weeks after Marshall Fire, victims learn their home insurance coverage is falling short after assuming insurance policies would cover cost to rebuild
Hundreds of 2020 Oregon Wildfire Survivors Still in Shelters
From Koin 6, by Amanda Arden | February 22, 2022
More than 500 survivors of the 2020 wildfires are living in shelter provided by Oregon Department of Human Services, nearly a year and a half after losing their homes
Tree Planting Underway in Wildfire-Stricken Santiam State Forest
From KGW8 by Christine Pitawanich | February 21, 2022
About 16,000 acres burned in the Santiam State Forest in 2020. Now there are big efforts to restore the landscape and replant trees.
Web Tool Co-Created by UCLA a Veritable ‘Swiss Army Knife’ for Land Management
From UCLA Newsroom, by David Colgan | February 24, 2022
LandCART uses machine learning to assess changes in vegetation and ground cover across the American West
Colorado State University Gets Millions to Study Forest Restoration, Wildfire Prevention
From Out There Colorado, by Conrad Swanson | February 26, 2022
Millions of dollars are coming to Colorado State University to study wildfire prevention, mitigation and recovery
Don’t Blame National Forests for America’s Massive Wildfires
From Popular Science, by Philip Kiefer | February 24, 2022
According to recent research, fires beginning in national forests is rare, and most ignitions come off private lands and move into forests and communities
Number of Wildfires to Rise by 50% by 2100 and Governments Are Not Prepared, Experts Warn
From UN Environment Programme | February 23, 2022
New report by the UN Environment Programme and GRID-Arendal says climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense
How Wildfires Have Worsened in Recent Years
From Stacker, by Emma Rubin and Emilia Ruzicka | February 24, 2022
Data is cited from the National Interagency Fire Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to visualize how the spread of wildfires has worsened in recent years.
‘Another Reason to Lose Sleep’: California Fires Are Growing More Intense at Night, Study Shows
From The Sacramento Bee, by Michael McGough | February 25, 2022
Due to ongoing drought and dry fuel conditions, night wildfires in California are increasing more and more over the past two decades
Humanity Has a ‘Brief and Rapidly Closing Window’ To Avoid a Hotter, Deadly Future, U.N. Climate Report Says
From The Washington Post, by Sarah Kaplan and Brady Dennis | February 28, 2022
Latest IPCC report details escalating toll, but top scientists say the world still can choose a less catastrophic path
UN Climate Report: 'Atlas of Human Suffering' Worse, Bigger
From AP News, by Seth Borenstein | February 28, 2022
UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report states regular deadly heat, fires, floods, and droughts will persist with global warming
James Gallagher’s Fire Victims Trust Bill Meant to Start Discussion
From Enterprise-Record, by Rick Silva | February 26, 2022
State Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher introduces legislation that will move further towards fully funding fire victims’ trust