Wildfires are Increasing in Size and Severity. 

Wildfires are now bigger, burn longer, cause more damage, and kill more people than in the past. The National Interagency Fire Center data shows that the burn area of the average fire has doubled in acreage since the 1990s. (See, https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/fireInfo_stats  totaWires.html  ) The average fire also damages three times the number of structures that were damaged in the 1990s. (See, http://www.iawfonline.ortz/WIJI%20WARS%20ARTICLE%20DAN%20BAILEY.pdf ) 

 According to U.S. Forest Service Chief, Tom Tidwell, "the length of fire season has increased by over two months since the 1970s." Exacerbating these conditions, scientists estimate that by the year 2050, wildfire activity in the Southwest will double. (See, http://www.pnas.oriilcontent/113/42/11770.abstract )  The increases in the frequency and severity of fires have led to drastic increases in the cost of fighting fires and protecting residents and their property. The fires of 2017, including unprecedented fires in Ventura, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, burned1.2 million acres of land and rapidly destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. (See, http://cdfdata. fire.ca. gov/incidents/incidents_stats?) ear-2017  [2017 fire statistics]; http:Hwww. fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/factsheets/Top20  Destruction.pdf [9,386 structures].) Many of the destroyed homes were located outside of fire hazard severity zones. (See, e.g.,  http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-coffev --parkexplainer-20171011-story.html   [Santa Rosa's Coffey Park neighborhood].) At least 43 people died.  (http://www. sacbee.com/news/state/callfornia/fires/article192402749.html ) 

 An EIR will be required to disclose, analyze, and mitigate fire impacts to any proposed new homes and existing homes, based on the lessons learned during the 2017 fire season. 

Since 2007, new knowledge has also been developed about the spread of wildfires, and particularly about the dangers posed by the wind-driven fires experienced annually in Southern California and this fall in Napa and Sonoma Counties. In an interview granted during the December 2017 Creek Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Captain Chris Reed stated, "winds can push an ember miles ahead of the fire" during Red Flag warning conditions.  (https ://la.curbed.com/2017/12/4/16735970/fires-sylmar-ventura-thomascreek)  That same week, the wind-driven Thomas Fire that began near Santa Paula reached the Pacific Ocean within a day.  (http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-lnschool-fire-20171204-storv.html )  An EIR must account for new knowledge about the distances embers can travel in windy conditions. All feasible mitigation measures and alternatives to the project must be discussed.