New research analyzing 20 years of wildfire deaths found communities with fewer than six major evacuation routes face exponentially higher fatality rates during fires.
- Study of U.S. wildfire deaths since 2008 identified six major roads as the critical threshold for community survival.
- Communities with six or fewer evacuation routes show exponentially increasing per capita fatality rates during fires.
- Adding more than seven roads provides no additional safety benefit according to the research.
- The 2018 Paradise, California fire exemplified the risks, as construction delays and fire damage reduced the town’s six available exits.
- Researchers say multiple routes provide crucial redundancy when roads become blocked by debris, accidents, or fire damage.
Source: Hawaii Public Radio
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