This weekend was a firey, smokey reminder for Californians that climate change is in the process of upending what’s normal when it comes to weather, natural disasters, and the future of the state’s forests. “The fact of the matter is if you look at the state of California, climate challenge is happening statewide,” said Los Angeles fire chief Daryl Osby in the midst of the Woolsey fire’s destruction last year, adding “it is going to be here for the foreseeable future.” As fires consume more areas of the state at the same time as has been seen historically, fires rage out of control with strapped fire agencies spread thin, as happened last year when the Camp fire ripped through the town of Paradise, California. “Typically we would rely on our partners to the north to come. But they are fighting a major fire up there.”
It’s not just California, either. Last fire season saw 29 large uncontained fires burn in states from Western states from California to New Mexico.
Forest fires are, of course, only one aspect of climate change that will alter the landscape, nor are they new, but the greater frequency with which they’re occurring, as rising temperatures and drier conditions create tinderboxes across the West, means that for Americans who prefer to live in places with immediate access to wilderness, Western forest-adjacent living may come with greater risk than it ever has before.
The website 538 recently wrote about which areas are best positioned to deal with climate change and, thus, be more attractive for newcomers, citing a paper written by a University of Illinois economist. Their conclusion: Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Maybe northern Minnesota. Despite recent droughts and fires, possibly the PNW.
Conversations about finding a new, less expensive town to live in, with cool wilderness nearby are default for outdoor lovers, but increasingly, talk about finding somewhere else to live without months of smoke, rolling power shutdowns, not to mention other symptoms of climate change, is heard at bars, on trails, in comment sections.
So, what about you? Changing snow seasons or fire season or flooding risks have you on Zillow lately? If you have, let us know where in the comments.
As an incentive for conversation, we’re giving away a copy of Adventure Journal to one commenter chosen at random. You can choose any issue we have in stock, and if you’re already a subscriber we can extend your sub by an issue, send you an issue you don’t have, or give one to a friend. Just include your email when you post your comment so we can get in touch.
Photo: Dominik Lange
I have consider NOT locating to the Inter Mountain West because of climate change.
I voted ‘no’, but our situation’s a little different. Currently live in a reasonably big midwest city, and because of family situations we’re not ready to move just yet. We love the desert southwest, and that was where we’d originally planned to relocate to when the time comes, but now we’re reconsidering whether that’s really a good idea given the current environmental situation. I can envision extremely hot temperatures, water shortages, etc. being commonplace in the not-too-distant future, so it might be smarter to move somewhere where the temperatures are more moderate, and with better access to water (as well as somewhere where there’s a decent amount of infrastructure, services, and access – i.e. not a small town in the middle of nowhere, as nice and peaceful as that might be).
Ultimately, we might just decide to stay put where we are. Other than a pretty big shortage of large expanses of nearby public land, it checks most of the boxes for us.
I live in Tucson, AZ. Water is always a worry here but I’ve watched it get managed very well in the last 20yrs, getting off of wells by using Colorado river water to recharge. The heat is something people either love or hate. We are always 10 degrees cooler than Phoenix. As temps rise, and they are, I at least feel I’m better off than the 4 million folks north of us.
We just moved from Colorado to New Hampshire about a month ago for a variety of reasons, one of the primary being the future impacts of climate change. Colorado just seemed to be getting hotter and the wildfires continue to get worse. Every year there’s higher risk for flooding, and the spring storms were getting to be unbearable with baseball-sized hail becoming a norm and continuing on into early fall these days. Moving to New Hampshire we figure we’re far enough inland to avoid flooding, the sun isn’t as intense or damaging as it is in Colorado, and the winters are either going to get better or worse. We wanted to get away from the threat of wildfires, hail, and flooding, and the Northeast is the place to do that.
I have ruled out places to move to because of climate change. Maybe that could be added as an option on the poll?
Done!
If you move someplace “safe” you will just have to share it with most of the population. I’ll take the natural disasters over the crowds any day.
We moved from Eastern Washington to Northern Nevada in part due to forest fires. There is some risk here, but we’re out of the tree line whcih certainly helps. Other than the risk from a fire, the smoke is a really downer if you want to be active outside.
All that said, I wouldn’t move back to the East Coast for money, love, or environment cuz humidity and heat are way worse.
I am in Mass. Thinking about moving farther north. Humidity is getting worse. Ocean waters are warming more in southern New England causing lobsters to be on the move.
Here is a link to a PBS show that talks about lobsters and the rising water temps in the Northeast:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-rising-water-temperatures-could-end-maines-lobster-boom#targetText=The%20Gulf%20of%20Maine%20is,sweet%20spot%E2%80%9D%20for%20fishing%20them.
Oregon has been an amazing place for the past 6 years after spending the previous 10 in Tahoe and the SF Bay area. Very few natural disasters and we’re surrounded by the beauty of nature from the coast to the peaks. This year we hardly had any fires in the Willamette Valley area, but our winters have become a bit colder with more snow sticking compared to previous years.
I live in an area that hasn’t seen alot of climate change problems..yet! Summers here in central Ontario Canada have definately got warmer and the storms are increasing in power every year. Its quite bearable. I do sympathize with those folks dealing with the issues in California. We all need to take stock of this situation and were possible help our friends out. I can’t imagine watching my community go up in flames its something I can’t fathom.
Dumb question. I already have a year and a half ago.
PNW appeals with climate change, far more so than our recent times in NorCal and Utah.
I would love to move out of the city and get out of the mess that it is in right now
We have been wanting to relocate from TX for the past 3 years but can’t find a place in the middle of nowhere that is not 100 degrees for three months in the summer and colder in the winters (27 degrees this week in Oct.!) with drought and grasshoppers that kill everything that is halfway green. Maybe Georgia or SC.
See my post as well. I’m proud to live in Texas, but my gut (and wifes) has been telling me to leave and expand my horizons. I’m not old, but old enough to realize life is short and I want to spend more time with my family in outdoor pursuits and hobbies, not just stay here because of business opportunities or COL (also see my thoughts in my post). I guess when I am on my deathbed, I’d like to look back and see maybe I struggled some financially but my family had a blast and memories aplenty versus stay put and keep making money and putting having a real meanigful life on the back burner.
We moved from the Chicago area to the Colorado front range as soon as I retired this summer. After adjusting to 8500’ elevation, much cleaner air and 300+ sunny days, I would say we made a good “climate change”. I know we may have some smoke/ fire issues some years but the trade off is totally worth it for us.
Yes, we are in Texas and tired of the floods. Also tired of the heat, congestion, sprawl and overall political attitude of the people (I am neither a far left liberal or right wing conservative, people just seem not to engage their brains before they spout opinions…anyway…). The oppressive heat has long gotten old and a one season a year weather pattern, except for maybe a week or two of nice fall weather in October or November,…we are over it. We’ve made our family vacations and expeditions over the last couple years to places we’d like to move to and North Carolina seems to always top the list. Currently researching the best areas and job prospects. Luckily my kids are young, my wife and I are both in occupations that have jobs aplenty and I can get a pretty good salary. Also, side note, don’t let people fool you that Texas is such a low cost of living state. Clearly it is not California, but each year more and more transplants come and housing prices rise. We are lucky we’ve timed the market well and will take our equity elsewhere hopefully. Also, true we don’t have income taxes, but lawmakers are finding every which way to tax us through licenses and fees, tolls, etc and insanely high property taxes. Property taxes which sometimes dwarfs mortgage payments. Texas is a great place and has a lot of outdoor appeal, it just is tiresome to have to drive hours and deal with traffic and congestion at said activity once you get there as like minded outdoor enthusiasts are all fighting for campsites and such.
I would like to move from S.E. to N.W., but it’s tough to start over.
What about the climate has statistically changed over the past 170 years of records? We know that temperature may have increased 0.8 degC – not something you’d notice. For California, records don’t show an increase in wind strength. Very little change in rainfall patterns. So what is it about climate that is to blame?
I am no great climate change activist and honestly am not 100% sure either way of man’s impact on climate or if it is a 100% hoax. I am sure the answer lies somewhere in between. My point is this response is already queued up in your mind and is copy/paste for all internet comments. The question asked was pretty simple, have you considered relocating due to climate change. Sure the article had more info but the question was straightforward and the first thing right off the bat was to launch into some political debate, or at least stir the pot. It wasn’t a question of give your two bit opinion on climate change, it was a simple question. Similar to my other post, people don’t think before they speak…everyone is so revved up to spout their mind they can’t stop to enjoy the conversation or much less stay on topic. To answer your last question, the author answered it in the original poll question. The fact people are moving or considering to move for no other reason than climate change. Or so you can better understand it, people are moving for better weather patterns, better weather in general, no flooding, less fires, etc. The author referred to it as climate change so you deduced it meant you can try to start the “climate change” argument. Think about it. As for your other selected facts, I’ll guess you live where you haven’t really been affected much by flooding, fires, drought or similar so you feel at ease trying to politicize the issue.
Ok boomer.
Is anywhere safe from the effects of climate change?
Have not considered moving our permanent residence, which is in Southwest Michigan, but may be re-considering our winter residence in SW Florida. (Never thought I’d say that)
kind of thinking i want to retire where there is more snow. we live around 42 degrees north so either north of that or a much higher elevation… or both!
The earth is a crowded closed loop spaceship. One can run, but one cannot hide. We ALL will be impacted, regardless of where we set our feet.
Get to know your neighbors, cooperate, get resilient.
I kind of like where I am presently but will retire in the Mts. of NC. In the CLT area – 1+ hour to the Mts., 3 hours to the beach (& by beach I mean its swimmable, not just to look at)…