California Natural Hazards

Which combination best explains wildfire risk in California?

• Population alone
• Rainfall alone
• Climate, vegetation, wind, settlement patterns, and ignition sources
• Earthquakes alone

Why is an earthquake hazard not automatically the same as earthquake risk?

• Earthquake risk exists only in empty areas.
• Risk depends only on rainfall.
• Hazard and risk always mean exactly the same thing.
• Risk also depends on people, buildings, and infrastructure exposed to the hazard.