California's Urban Sprawl and Fire Risk

California's long-standing issue with urban sprawl has exacerbated the risk of wildfires, as more residents live in hazardous areas known as wild and urban interfaces (WUIs). Despite historical awareness of fire dangers, real estate and political leaders have continued to promote development in these risky zones, often prioritizing profit over safety. This has led to a situation where California's population density increases in high-risk areas, pushing more residents into locations prone to wildfires. The situation is compounded by the state's failure to implement sufficient housing policies that would keep people in safer, urban centers.