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Mandated vs. Voluntary Adaptation to Natural Disasters: The Case of U.S. Wildfires

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick W. Baylis
  • Judson Boomhower

Abstract

Despite escalating disaster losses and predicted increases in weather-related catastrophes, takeup of protective technologies and behaviors appears limited by myopia, externalities, and other factors. One response to such frictions is to mandate adaptive investment. We measure the effect of California's wildfire building codes on own- and neighboring structure survival using administrative damage and assessment data for most US homes experiencing wildfires since 2000. Differences across jurisdictions and vintages reveal remarkable resilience effects of building codes initially prompted by the deadly 1991 Oakland Firestorm. Codes also benefit neighbors. We use the results to estimate net social benefits of wildfire building standards.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick W. Baylis & Judson Boomhower, 2021. "Mandated vs. Voluntary Adaptation to Natural Disasters: The Case of U.S. Wildfires," NBER Working Papers 29621, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:29621
    Note: EEE LE PE
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    Cited by:

    1. Kendra Marcoux & Katherine R. H. Wagner, 2023. "Fifty Years of U.S. Natural Disaster Insurance Policy," CESifo Working Paper Series 10431, CESifo.
    2. Brannlund, Johan & Dunbar, Geoffrey & Ellwanger, Reinhard & Krutkiewicz, Matthew, 2023. "Weather the storms? Resilience investment and production losses after hurricanes," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    3. Siddhartha Biswas & Mallick Hossain & David Zink, 2023. "California Wildfires, Property Damage, and Mortgage Repayment," Working Papers 23-05, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H12 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Crisis Management
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • K32 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Energy, Environmental, Health, and Safety Law
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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