Happy Nice Mall

Knowing the risk is one thing, doing something about it is another.

Did we know there could be another racist attack like the one in Buffalo? Yes we did. We have witnessed white supremacy gaining strength. We’ve seen a proliferation of military-grade guns. A trail of bloodshed reminded us of risk: Charleston, Pittsburgh, El Paso.

Risk is something I think about every day in my climate change coverage. Now that we know the risks of life on an overheated planet, what do we do to minimize suffering?

And so, Christopher Flavelle and Nadja Popovich forest fires articles and maps On Monday, I had more questions. I wanted to know what to do with these new projections.

I reached out to Chris. This is an edited version of our talk.

Hi, Chris. On your maps, large areas of the American West, including most of California where my family and friends live, are turning ochre within 30 years, meaning they will face a significantly higher risk of wildfires in 2052. get out of all these fields?

People are unlikely to leave their homes, even in the most fire-prone areas, and are probably unnecessary for now. State and local officials can use this new data to prioritize where they spend scarce dollars to reduce risk. In some places this may mean thinning of nearby forests and other vegetation that serves as fuel. Elsewhere, it could be making sure firefighters have the equipment they need. In other places, it may mean making sure roads are accessible to get people out and get fire trucks in.

What can I do if I own a house in one of these areas and how much will it cost me?

Unlike protecting your home from flooding, which usually means upgrading the structure at $100,000 or more, reducing your exposure to fire need not be outrageously expensive. If you have a wooden roof, consider replacing it with a material that is less likely to burn. If you have single pane windows, consider double pane to make it harder for the embers to break. Create a so-called “defensible area” around your home by removing anything that could catch fire within five feet of the structure. you can find more tips are here.

California has a statewide building code for new homes built in fire-hazardous areas. The defensive area includes things like double-glazed windows and fireproof roofs. But what if I’m a tenant?

A tenant has fewer options. First of all, pay attention to the place you rent and buy renters insurance. If you have to leave your home because of a fire, the level of federal assistance depends on whether state officials require a federal disaster declaration, whether the federal government grants it, and then what type of assistance the government provides. Tenants who have been forcibly evicted from their homes, Help from FEMA. Don’t trust it.

Second, assess your risks now. If you live in a fire-prone area and are worried that your landlord is not taking this threat seriously, seek an assessment from your local Fire Department. Notify your host. Remember, there is a financial incentive to mitigate these risks. Insurance may not cover the full cost of rebuilding after a fire.

Wow. This does not seem to protect the poor who are more likely to hire. We were talking about what individuals can do to protect themselves. What can people do to reduce risks in their communities?

If there is a new development planned in your area, you can ask your local planning authorities to explain what level of bushfire risk is associated with it. You can ask if local building codes match the risk. If your community is surrounded by forests and has only one entry and exit route, ask local authorities what to do if that road is blocked. If you live near state or federal government-managed land, you can ask your state or federal representative when the last time authorities cleared excess vegetation to reduce the risk of wildfires.

What if I’m considering vacationing in a fire-prone area? Should I avoid seeing California redwoods?

If you go to a fire prone area, avoid visiting during times of high danger. Before you go, check if there are any fires nearby that could reach the area you are visiting. Determine an evacuation plan. Weigh the risks. See sequoias while the risks are low.

Here’s the mind-blowing thing. Soon to work It found that between 1990 and 2010, areas with the highest fire risk had the fastest population growth, including California and Texas. People are literally in danger. Should we rethink living in wooded hills and canyons?

One way to reduce risk now is to expose fewer people to risk. So, from a safety standpoint, it’s better to build denser urban communities where people aren’t near dense, dry forests rather than continuing to build homes (and schools and malls) in the wilderness. In most of the country, living this close to the wilderness can already be very risky.

Before you go: A one-man quest to make compost cool

Domingo Morales, 30, is from the Bronx. His street name was “Reckless,” and he went through more than his share of hard times growing up. But one day, Morales saw the announcement of a nonprofit that trains young people for green jobs. He learned how to make garden beds and how composted soil strengthens plants and reduces greenhouse gases. After winning a $200,000 prize, he created “Compost Power” to bring his new passion to housing estates in four boroughs of New York City by planning more sites. “For many years, compost was that nasty, stinking upper-class thing whites did,” Morales said. “But it’s really a great introduction to sustainability as a whole.” You can do read her story here.

Thank you for reading. We’ll be back on Friday.

Manuela Andreoni, Claire O’Neill, and Douglas Alteen contributed to Climate Forward.

Contact us climateforward@nytimes.com. We read every message and reply to many!