Stanford scholars are informing policy decisions and responses to major wildfires.
Wildfire Policy
A New Strategy for Addressing the Wildfire Epidemic in California
A new white paper by Michael Wara proposes a different strategic vision for managing wildfire risk in California involving structures, communities, and landscapes.
Researchers explore how shifts in federal approaches can turn the tide of destructive wildfires
Stanford research and expertise point toward bipartisan solutions that reset priorities, change mindsets and employ new technologies for fighting wildfires.
The shifting burden of wildfires in the United States
Stanford experts discuss the causes and impacts of wildfire activity and its rapid acceleration in the American west.
The Cost of Wildfire In California
A new report from the California Council on Science & Technology assesses the current state of knowledge around losses related to wildfires in the state and their associated costs.
Op-Ed: Concrete steps California can take to prevent massive fire devastation
In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, Michael Wara, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, describes what Californians and policymakers can do to help prevent and manage catastrophic wildfires going forward.
Testimony at U.S. Senate Hearing on Wildfire Impacts on Grid Reliability
Wildfires are a major threat to electric grid reliability in the Western U.S. Michael Wara, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, testified on the issue at a Dec. 19 hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Poll reveals that Californians are unwilling to subsidize wildfire prevention
As state, federal and local officials try to figure out what policies to implement to address the state’s wildfire crisis, a poll conducted by the Bill Lane Center for the American West reveals where the public stands on regulations and other public policy measures to prevent wildfires.
California’s Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery Commission
Michael Wara, Director of the Climate and Energy Policy Program at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, serves on the state’s Catastrophic Wildfire Cost and Recovery Commission which released a report in June of 2019 finding that utilities played a major role causing recent catastrophic wildfires in the state. Wara is actively engaged in research and discussions to forward effective wildfire-related policies in California.
Living with Fires: Q&A with Deborah Sivas
Stanford’s Deborah Sivas speaks with Sharon Driscoll at Stanford Law School on mitigating wildfire risks with law and environmental policy.