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282 assessment of climate change in the southwest united statesFigure 13.11 Satellite image of urbanLos Angeles (top) and Phoenix (bottom).The two cities are surrounded by undevelopedmountainous areas and public lands. Image byGeology.com using Landsat data from NASA.13.2. Pathways Through which Climate Change Will AffectCities in the SouthwestFire hazardsThe extensive public lands surrounding these major metropolitan regions and the correspondingurban-wildland interface make them susceptible to increased wildfires drivenby a drier climate, extensive and scattered urbanization in the public lands, a history offire suppression, and changing vegetation in the natural lands themselves.The Southwest cities are not equally prone to wildfires (Figure 13.12) nor are theyequally likely to suffer increased fire impacts due to differences in the types of ecosystemsin the surrounding natural lands. But for the cities at risk, the cost of fire protectionis significant. Increased fire incidence will cause property damage and impose relatedcosts, some of which are only beginning to be understood. Issues such as who shouldpay for fire protection can be contentious, as can be the development of new buildingregulations for greater fire resistance and land-use regulations to prevent construction