California

The fires are mostly in the Pine Barrens and can destroy property. Flooding is a more extensive problem and not just in shore areas. My step daughter bought a beautiful house off of Long Beach Island. It is on a lagoon but it experienced no damage during prior hurricanes.

I asked if she was worried about flooding. "No, we have flood insurance."

The problem is, the insurance cost is substantially rising every year.

On the island itself, are $multiM houses. A guy I know, bought a $2m house. Tore it down to build a $12M house. The island has been breached during prior hurricanes - from the ocean to the bay and people were trapped on the island. That was in 1949.

The state is buying out homeowners in river flood zones and tearing down the houses. They are not doing the same in shore areas.

Then there is the conflict between the need for flood protection and low income housing. Each new home leads to increased water run-off during storms. That leads to flooding. Real estate and construction interests support new construction. Environmentalists support limiting construction, at least in flood zones.