The role of cities in wildfires

 Warmer,dryer seasons and city growth means wildfires are creeping closer to suburbs and towns in North America.

           Cities are in a way concrete buffers against wildfires.But cities also increase the risk of wildfires.Cities are heat traps:glass,metal,concrete and pavement bake in the sun,raise temperatures and dry out nearby forests and vegetation,thus raising the risk of wildfire.

        Cities should not become wildfire magnets.We must design our cities in a firesmart way.Rebuilding after a wildfire costs way more than preventing it.We must make our cities more firesmart and more resilient to wildfires just as we earthquakeproof our buildings and try to floodproof neighborhoods.