What comes after the fires in southern California?

It’s hard to watch the news of the destructive fires in southern California without despairing for the safety and well-being of our loved ones, friends, and neighbors. Our hearts go out to all of you, as well as our impacted partners and supporters.

Today, many are rightly focused on the urgent need to protect themselves and their communities, and follow the guidance of emergency personnel who are putting their lives on the line to manage a dangerous and deadly situation. For those of us who are humbly embracing the gift of having time and space to think about recovery after this crisis, there are some truths on which we can ground ourselves to be more effective partners in helping the people and places we love.

We must acknowledge the reality of our situation, focus on facts, and not be misled by fiction. The climate crisis continues to deepen its impact on all people, regardless of identity, wealth, or geography. Today, parts of southern California are experiencing their driest winter season in the past 150 years. These exceptionally dry conditions are happening at the same time as extreme and prolonged winds, creating optimal conditions for catastrophic fires in our communities. Sadly, these kinds of disastrous fires are likely to become even more common as the effects of climate change become more severe.

We must also acknowledge our power to put solutions in place that will help people and communities right now and lessen the long-term impacts of climate change. Extreme fires not only threaten our homes and lives, but also the thing survivors need to live: clean, safe water for people and the environment. Fortunately, as we adapt to our ever-changing world, we know what we need to do:

We need to invest in water infrastructure for community safety. Healthy rivers are unmatched when it comes to providing clean, healthy water for people and nature, along with many other benefits. We know that the places in which we live are as much a part of our water infrastructure as the pipes that carry water to our homes. Stewarding rivers and the surrounding landscape through wildfire management – as opposed to suppression – is key to protecting our communities. Wildfire management does not only reduce the intensity of uncontrolled fires. It protects the land and rivers where water flows and the dams, pipes, and homes where water goes. Californians have already taken a critical step to make this work possible. Nearly 60% of voters approved $10 billion in state funds to pay for climate resilient solutions. These solutions include: drought, flood, and water supply projects; protecting communities from wildfire; and restoring and protecting natural areas.

Now, we can ensure those public funds can be accessed by continuing our support for the people and places who need them most. Whether through the largest dam-removal project in history or the largest meadow restoration in the headwaters of one of California’s most pristine drinking water sources, private-public partnerships have yielded unprecedented success in California to restore rivers and the clean, healthy water they provide for people and nature. We’ve done it before; we will do it again. Most importantly, we will do it together.