Home values have grown more slowly in communities with high fire experience, translating to differences in total appreciation of $165M-$630M per year relative to communities with no fire experience. High-hazard communities average higher incomes than low- and no-hazard communities conversely, communities with high fire experience average lower incomes than those with little to no experience. This analysis of three decades of fire footprints, hazard maps, and census and real estate data shows that communities with high fire experience differ substantially from communities with high fire hazard. Government hazard maps are often used to identify at-risk areas, but hazard zones and fire experience may have different implications for communities. “It’s critical residents stay ready and evacuate immediately if told to do so,” Brown said in a statement, according to the Washington Post.Wildfires pose a large and growing threat to communities across California, and understanding fire vulnerability and impacts can enable more effective risk management. Governor Jerry Brown has declared states of emergency in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties. So far, hundreds of homes have been destroyed and thousands of people have been displaced, many being forced to evacuate as the flames tear through their neighborhoods. Other potential impacts today include downed trees and power lines, blowing dust and debris, as well as power outages.” If fire ignitions occur, there is a high likelihood of very rapid fire spread, long range spotting, and extreme fire behavior. These Santa Ana winds combined with humidities in the teens and single digits, along with very dry fuels, will continue to bring an extended period of critical fire weather conditions to much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Damaging wind gusts of 45 to 65 mph will continue today across wind prone areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with slightly weaker winds tonight into Saturday. “The strongest and longest duration Santa Ana wind event we have seen so far this season will continue through at least Saturday. These warnings were in effect through Saturday. The National Weather Service issued “red flag warnings” for Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. The Thomas Fire is still a big concern, however, as it is only 15 percent contained (as of December 10). Many are becoming more manageable as the winds in the area have slowed.

Firefighters have been working diligently to battle these fires over the past several days. These brush fires have all increased in their intensity due to the gusty winds in the area. And the Skirball Fire, has consumed about 500 acres. A third fire, Santa Clarita’s Rye Fire, quickly grew to over 7,000 acres. There are currently over 15,000 acres involved in that fire. Next, the Creek Fire, located in Los Angeles County, was reported. Santa Paula’s Thomas Fire was the first and is the largest wildfire, currently engulfing 155,000 acres. So we have incredibly desiccated dry fuels,” said CAL Fire’s Tim Chavez. “This year … no rain came in September, October and November in Southern California.

The extremely dry conditions in the southern part of the state have increased the likelihood of wildfires. Several dangerous wildfires have broken out in California this week. ? #SkirballFire #thomasfire #creekfire #ryefire #LittleMountainFire /E8mSweHDzk

Fires in california 2017 map