Over the past few weeks, over 30 wildfires [1] have ignited [2] in California, Utah, Nevada and other western states. In Big Sur, the wildfire has destroyed over 50 homes and threatens thousands more. Residents have been forced to evacuate and firefighters have been working around the clock to tame the flames.

The remainder of fire season is predicted [3] to have above-average activity in the west, due to high temperatures and dryness. The potential for further damage from wildfire comes at a time when disasters are increasing in frequency and strength. As communities attempt to prepare for such disasters, which are necessarily devastating and uncertain, it may be difficult for some to imagine how communities can recover at all. Yet, amazingly, we've witnessed the determination of city after city all over the world rebound after major disasters.

After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States in August 2005, many doubted the city of New Orleans would survive. The storm and subsequent flooding caused over 1,800 deaths, displaced over 400,000 residents and resulted in over $100 billion in damage. Residents were restricted from returning to their homes for months, not knowing what remained if and when they did.

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