“Fire losses to U.S. buildings could nearly triple by 2060 without new protections”

Key points

• Study from CIRES at University of Colorado Boulder models future fire risk to structures.
• Under business-as-usual climate and no new adaptations, losses could nearly triple by 2060.
• Up to 449,100 buildings could be destroyed or damaged according to the model.
• Western U.S. expected to bear epicenters of loss, with central U.S. seeing rising risk.
• Researchers stress incorporating social vulnerability and building codes in mitigation.