The federal government is more likely to take action aimed at reducing the severity of future wildfires in white and wealthy communities, according to new findings reported by the New York Times. Poor households and people of color are disproportionately hurt by wildfires because they are often more physically exposed and are less likely to have insurance, and the new report from Resources for the Future shows the government’s actions after a fire exacerbate those inequities. Over the past decades, most people who moved to fire-prone areas were white and affluent, but rising housing costs are pushing lower-income families and families of color into those areas. These and other changes mean authorities need to improve on even basic elements of fire response like making sure non-English speakers are adequately informed of fire dangers and evacuation orders. The report follows a fire season, fueled by climate change, that obliterated records across the American West. (New York Times $; Climate Signals background: 2020 Western wildfire season)