Study: After wildfires, only 25 percent of burnt structures are rebuilt

(Photo: Courtesy Jefferson County Sheriff's Office)
<p>The Lower North Fork Fire killed three people and burned two dozen homes in 2012.</p>
Photo: Lower North Fork Fire
The Lower North Fork Fire killed three people and burned two dozen homes in 2012.

Researchers with the U.S. Forest Service, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Oregon State University analyzed satellite images and tracked construction after wildfires. They found that after five years, just 25 percent of structures lost to fires are rebuilt.

They also noted wildfires are likely to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change. When rebuilding, the study found little evidence that homeowners and communities are adapting to fire by changing the locations of buildings.

This study comes just weeks after another report found that nearly 50,000 Colorado homes are at very high risk for wildfire damage.