The True Cost of Wildfire Recovery Amid Class Disparities

HST 401 Paper #4

Maya Lapinski


The True Cost of Wildfire Recovery Amid Class Disparities


The devastating consequences of uncontrolled climate change is revealed through the recent and rampant wildfires throughout California. Not only do forest fires threaten the environments in which they blaze down, but they also exasperate class disparities. The difference in wildfire response between varying economic classes highlight the unfair advantages and resources that wealthier communities have access to that remain limitations for lower income households. It is evident that climate change will remain a prevalent concern, requiring ongoing awareness. This should emphasize the significance of addressing economic inequality, ensuring that an individual is not limited in their ability to protect themselves and their livelihoods– especially circumstances beyond their control.


The California wildfires have demonstrated in real time the disproportionate relief available to higher income communities. The wealthy are able to purchase resources that can increase preventative wildfire measures. While measures to prevent wildfires are not bad inherently, the inability of lower classes to follow suit is where the problem lies. Laurel Wamsley, for the National Public Radio, reports on the ethics of contracting private firefighters (2025). Wamsley discusses how the purchasing of private firefighting services was more prevalent within affluent demographics, becoming a tactic deployed by insurance companies in order to minimize loss and maximize marketability.


In contrast to this, government issued insurance has limited fire protection measures, leaving immense disparities in preventative measures depending upon one’s financial circumstances. Homeowners insurance is a costly investment, which is especially high in areas like California which are susceptible to experiencing wildfires. Earlier this year, individuals affected by California wildfires were made aware of the ability to apply for FEMA assistance. FEMA, or the Federal Emergency Management, released a statement mentioning that individuals “may be eligible for financial assistance” (FEMA.gov, 2025). Not only would those who are in need of monetary support need to wait for their application to be approved, but that application may not be approved at all. As a result, this support does not guarantee the ability to economically recover from the wildfires, which can have disastrous consequences for those who are dependent on government assistance to move forward.


When a wildfire occurs, not everyone has the ability to uproot their life and relocate, even temporarily. Access to other places of residence and temporary solutions is a luxury available to higher income households. Many individuals, however, are unable to afford short or long term hotel stays, resulting in the need to search for shelters, which have limited resources and less than ideal conditions. The Los Angeles, California, wildfires left thousands of individuals homeless, threatening progress made towards decreasing homelessness. For PBS News, Angela Hart reported on the pressure that wildfire recovery has put on the funding available to house the homeless (2025). Hart mentions how the push for more funding has been limited by the need to spend more on fire relief and how this has left many individuals, especially those who have been homeless before, in fear of the uncertainty of their futures. 


Wildfires do not stop at heavily affecting the present and short-term outlook for lower-income families. Forest fires also significantly dictate one’s future. The damage caused by the Los Angeles wildfires has caused a shocking increase in the price of rental listings, leaving many people unable to afford housing in the aftermath of a national emergency. Within abcNEWS, reporters Alfonseca et al. mention how some online listings have increased their price up to 100-300% (2025). LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman points out how this violates the thresholds established in state of emergencies. For individuals who are already facing financial hardship, this percent increase creates an immense strain as its unaffordability forces individuals to look elsewhere for housing, endangering their current employment opportunities and resources.  


While wildfires result in frightening times for all afflicted within the area, feelings of fear are exasperated for less affluent individuals who fear their ability, if at all, to rebuild their lives. It is evident that climate change will remain a prominent problem. That being said, however, this should be even more of a reason to demand reformation in how the nation deals with wildfire recovery. Protective measures should not be limited to those who are able to afford them. People’s way of life should not be stripped away from them due to factors outside of their control. Perhaps the California wildfires demonstrate that taking strides towards climate action can simultaneously take a stand against income disparity, helping protect lower income communities from a similar outcome. 





Works Cited

Alfonseca, K. Lee, J. Youn, S. Castellano, J. LA Wildfires Create Spike in Rent Prices, Forcing 

Rental Listing Sites to Act, abcNEWS, 2025, https://abcnews.go.com /US/la-wildfires-create-spike-rent-prices-forcing-rental/story?id=117753128. 

FEMA.gov. FEMA Assistance is Available for Individuals Affected by the Wildfires in 

California, FEMA, 2025, https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250109/ fema-assistance-available-individuals-affected-wildfires-california. 

Hart, Angela. Los Angeles County Managed to Cut Homelessness, but Wildfires Threaten to 

Erase Those Gains, PBS News, 2025, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/ los-angeles-county-managed-to-cut-homelessness-but-wildfires-threaten-to-erase-those-gains. 

Wamsley, Laurel. Private Firefighters are Helping Out in LA Wildfires. It Raises Ethical 

Questions, National Public Radio, 2025, https://www.npr.org/2025/01/18/ nx-s1-5265301/california-wildfires-private-firefighters. 

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