Firefighters around Los Angeles have been making steady progress against the massive, fast-moving blazes that erupted around the city this month. The containment perimeters around the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire are growing, but the risk of another explosive wildfire remains high amid dry conditions and high winds.

The wildfires have so far killed at least 28 people, charred more than 63 square miles, and destroyed more than 15,000 homes, offices, and shops.

Wildfires are a fact of life in California. They’re a natural phenomenon, clearing decaying vegetation, restoring nutrients to the soil, and helping new plants germinate.

But their mounting devastation is a result of human decisions: More homes and businesses going up in wildfire-prone regions means a greater likelihood of igniting a blaze, and more destruction when one starts burning. Suppressing natural fires and not trimming back vegetation near structures means more fuel can build up. And as the climate changes, the weather in California is likely to see greater swings between rainfall and drought, enhancing the conditions that promote wildfires.

The current blazes erupted after a sequence of record rainfall, record heat, record dryness, and high winds landed on one of the most populated parts of the country. The recent wildfires are on track to be the costliest blazes on record. The fires will only worsen California’s ongoing housing crisis and could reshape the makeup of the city as wealthy residents rebuild and poorer Angelinos are forced out. The scars of these fires will be borne by the region for years. As Vox’s Rachel Cohen wrote, “To merely restore what was lost — which will take years even with potentially rushed permitting approvals — won’t be enough to stem the mounting crisis.”

On the other hand, the fact that so many human factors are contributing to the rising destruction from wildfires means that there are decisions we can make to alleviate the harm. And as the flames die down and residents return, this moment presents an opportunity to think more holistically about reducing wildfire risk in Los Angeles and other fire-prone regions.

“There’s a lot that we can do as residents and homeowners to really change that trajectory and make small, often........

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