UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Wildfires are destroying homes, displacing communities, and driving escalating costs, prompting new interest in “managed retreat” as a potential response. This report examines whether managed retreat—the process of relocating homes and infrastructure away from high-risk areas, typically those prone to flooding—can be effective, equitable, and feasible in wildfire contexts. Drawing on a 2024 UCLA workshop with researchers, practitioners, and community leaders, we synthesize key themes, tensions, and knowledge gaps. Findings highlight the importance of land management, coordinated (not piecemeal) approaches, and the social, cultural, and political complexity of relocation. The report underscores that retreat is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and calls for targeted research and local community-informed planning to guide future policy and practice.