The LA Fires: Observations and Lessons from an Intergovernmental Perspective

Abstract

Urban wildfires like these are simply not preventable, per se. Policy cannot stop lightning strikes, halt hurricane-force winds, or bring much-needed rain to areas in drought. Rather, we argue that we should shift our attention to understanding the mechanics of preparedness and hazard mitigation—and how that can be best accomplished through capacity-building across sectors and across levels of government. In other words, instead of asking how we can prevent this from happening again, we should instead be asking how we can manage the risk of wildfire disasters more effectively. And further, how can we continue to improve capacity in that regard.