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yup, that's one plus in a helluva photo - quite unlike -- As Wildfires Grow, Millions of Homes Are Being Built in Harm’s Way

By Nadja Popovich and Brad PlumerSept. 9, 2022

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The rapid growth of housing in flammable areas is a key reason wildfires have become more destructive over time. Not only are the homes themselves more likely to burn, but when more people live near forests and grasslands, there’s also a greater chance that fires will start in the first place. While wildfires are often sparked by lightning, humans themselves cause the vast majority of ignitions, often by accident: a cigarette thrown out the window, or a vehicle’s muffler setting fire to dry grass.

More homes in fire-prone territory also increases the demand for firefighting in often difficult terrain, which can stretch fire suppression resources thin and, in turn, lead to a dangerous build-up of vegetation in areas that experts say would benefit from burning at low levels more frequently. Wildfires have long been a natural part of the Western landscape and only become disasters when humans are in the path.

“The more homes we have in the wildlands, the more people we have to protect, more people that need to be evacuated,” said Miranda H. Mockrin, a research scientist at the United States Forest Service, who worked on the new study. “It becomes more of a challenge.”

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/09/09/climate/growing-wildfire-risk-homes.html