The Southern California wildfires that have claimed at least 29 lives and destroyed entire neighborhoods leave us with only one good choice: We have to build smarter. The status quo of building new communities in the riskiest wildfire zones condemns us to ever-worsening disasters.

Imagine fighting the Palisades Fire again next year. Imagine rebuilding from an even more destructive fire. Imagine being trapped in this dystopia because we didn’t learn.

The way Angelenos have stepped up to help our neighbors and support first-responders tells me there’s a willingness to change. More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of building in the wildland urban interface which is eyed by developers as a profitable place to build, yet it also contains the riskiest, most fire-prone parts of the state. The wildland urban interface is defined by the U.S. Forest Service as the area where human development mixes with and meets natural landscapes.

Nearly all modern wildfires in California are ignited by a human source, whether it’s a spark from utility infrastructure or fireworks. Building in the wildland urban interface increases ignition risk, which is why communities adjacent to chaparral wildlands, like Altadena, are so vulnerable. Rebuilding in these risky areas may be inevitable, but home hardening and climate-resilient construction can make communities safer. We must invest in these resources now.

There’s no surefire way to stop the next disaster. We can ween ourselves off of fossil fuels and elect leaders grounded in climate reality. We can rebuild in a way that maximizes risk reduction and includes thorough remediation.

But there is a surefire way to guarantee more disasters: continuing to expand development deeper into the wildland urban interface.

Past efforts to limit risky development have been stymied by building interests, including a 2021 bill as well as a 2020 bipartisan bill that passed the California legislature but was then opposed by building interests and ultimately vetoed by the governor.

Meanwhile, the state is on track to build another 1 million homes in the wildland urban interface by 2050.

At the local level, local politicians are just as happy to appease developers who promise fireproof homes even though science and past fires show us these measures only reduce — but do not eliminate — risk.

In Lake County, supervisors approved a luxury resort and high-end homes on a site with a long history of wildfires. Courts have repeatedly found that the county violated state law for failing to consider how the development would affect public safety and wildfire evacuations.

Going forward, local politicians have to push developers to disclose wildfire risks and evacuation plans as required by law.

It became glaringly clear to me just how important thorough evacuation plans are when orders to leave came to my neighborhood. Like tens of thousands of my L.A. neighbors, I fled not knowing what would remain when I returned. Luck and effective firefighting saved my home. But I’m heartbroken that others weren’t so fortunate.

The problem, however, runs deeper than evacuation planning. Policymakers should steer development toward existing communities with lower wildfire risk. It won’t be as profitable for developers and landlords, but building affordable homes near transportation and implementing anti-displacement measures is the best way to address the housing crisis.

For homes already near the wildland urban interface and for those wanting to rebuild, state and local governments need to invest in equitable home hardening programs to reduce risk. It’s great that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new suite of community hardening measures require an ember-resistant zone within five feet of structures, but I hope there will be more investments in home hardening measures that address the flammability of the structures themselves.

Fire resistant roofs and vents, external sprinklers connected to an independent water source and community rooftop solar can work together to cut risk. Building back fossil-free by prohibiting gas hook ups will also make communities safer while addressing the climate crisis that has fueled these fires.

It’s going to be expensive, and it won’t prevent extreme weather, but it’s the first step toward climate resiliency and co-existence with wildfire. Inaction’s price is steep: When the final tally is complete, the L.A. fires will likely be the costliest in U.S. history.

I’m not naïve to the obstacles. But I refuse to believe that California will ignore the lessons of this collective nightmare. The world watched Los Angeles go up in flames. Now it’s time for the world to see how this magnificent city can rise from the ashes in a smarter, more sustainable way.

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