Carleton Virtual Breakfast Club: Homes and Fire with Patrick Baylis ’08

More frequent and severe wildfires are the result of decades of aggressive fire suppression, a warmer and more volatile climate, and—perhaps most importantly—increased home development in high-risk areas. A growing body of evidence suggests that changing where and how we build homes may be the most effective way to limit future wildfire losses. Patrick Baylis ’08 is an environmental economist and assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. An international relations major at Carleton, he found his way into economics and the study of wildfire policy over the past decade. Patrick will discuss what he and his collaborators have learned about housing policy and wildfire-related costs and damages in North America, as well as early findings from field experiments designed to encourage homeowners to reduce the risk of home fires on their own properties.