New hazard and risk level for wildfires in California and worldwide

The number of wildfires in California causing billions of dollars in damage has spiked over the last few years. While Southern California has seen an accumulation of such events since the early 2000s, the northern half of the state has only experienced a sharp rise in major loss events since 2015. Climate trends also show an increase in wildfire hazard, which is arguably higher now than it ever was in the 20th century. This illustrates that the overall risk and loss levels are significantly different than in the past. And as the state’s climate continues to change, California will experience a further worsening of these conditions in the medium term.