Écouter le feu. The aftermath of wildfires and the question of rebuilding in high risk fire areas

Abstract

Mega-fires have become frequent in areas around the world. They are no longer limited to areas in the Mediterranean climate. Extreme fires are now burning in Canada and Siberia due to more frequent fire weather conditions. Such conditions are strongly linked to the warming of the earth's atmosphere. In the US the term mega-fires came into use after the 1988 fire at Yellowstone Park. Such fires can permanently transform a landscape into a non-forested habitat. Wildfires are uncontrolled fires that burn in the wildland urban interface. No longer are wildfires a topic of interest only to foresters. Those in the practice of urban design and planning need to take notice. Land-use changes made by local governments have permitted urban development within forested areas and they have further exacerbated fire risks.