Publication: Associated Press

UCLA Expert: Gregory Pierce: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Luskin School of Public Affairs; Co-Director, Luskin Center for Innovation; Co-Director, UCLA Water Resources Group; Member, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; Senior Researcher, Water and Transportation Initiatives

Synopsis: The threat of wildfires in California is becoming a tool to prevent the construction of new homes in some areas. Environmental groups are seeing increased success in California courts arguing that wildfire risk wasn’t fully considered in proposals to build homes in fire-prone areas that sit at the edge of forests and brush, called the wildland-urban interface. Experts said such litigation could become more common.

UCLA News: Pierce reminded that there’s very little land left in California that is undeveloped, cheap and at low risk of fire.

Read more at Associated Press.