These Places Are Bound To Burn And People Keep Moving There

As climate change contributes to ever-worsening fire seasons in the Western U.S., more people are moving to the very areas most likely to burn.

Of the 15 counties with the highest risk of fire by 2050, two-thirds have growing populations, according to a new analysis from ClimateCheck, a startup that gives people access to climate data about individual properties.

In Placer County, California, near Sacramento, for instance, the number of residents climbed by 7% from 2013 to 2018, despite the fact that the area is tied for the highest fire risk in the nation, the company found.

Morgan County, Utah, northeast of Salt Lake City, will also be among the most prone to burning, saw its population increase by 17.5% in the period.