5 Urgent Steps California Must Take to Break the Wildfire Cycle
This year has begun with a whirlwind of activity. My team and I are juggling new project launches, roadmap planning, and grappling with events that have struck painfully close to home. One of our managing partners and her family evacuated on Tuesday. The wildfires in Los Angeles feel personal. They live just west of the Eaton Fire, which is only 25% contained as of this writing. For some, the flames have already claimed their homes; for others, the path to rebuilding will be long and uncertain. As entrepreneurs, we often discuss resilience and overcoming setbacks, but no amount of preparation equips you with the heartbreak of losing everything to fire.
In 2005, I followed my then-girlfriend to New Orleans to be there while she volunteered and helped the community stricken by Hurricane Katrina. Seeing the devastation and witnessing the human toll firsthand taught me the importance of resilience but also how critical it is to prepare for the foreseeable. That experience left a deep mark on me, but this time feels different—this is close to home. We can’t afford to let this cycle continue. There is no excuse for the citizens of California to endure these tragedies year after year, especially when we know what’s coming. It’s time to be better, California. We have to learn our lesson.
Over the past week, we’ve been amplifying calls for donations to the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund. This fund provides immediate aid and long-term recovery support to wildfire survivors. Yet, while raising awareness is vital, it’s clear that our current systems for addressing wildfires need an overhaul. We can’t continue to treat these disasters as isolated emergencies. Wildfires are now a recurring part of California life, and our approach must reflect that.
Agustin Paullier/AFP via Getty Images
Building a Proactive System
We must shift from firefighting to fire prevention and resilience to truly address this crisis. This means investing in solutions that tackle the problem at its roots, rather than relying solely on emergency response. Three areas require immediate attention:
Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Management
More than a third of Californians live where urban development meets flammable wildlands. Better land-use policies can minimize risks. For example, stricter building codes that mandate fire-resistant materials, defensible space around homes, and innovative technologies like fire-detection sensors can help mitigate fire risks before flames ever reach communities.Controlled Burns and Forest Management
Decades of fire suppression have left California’s forests dangerously overgrown. Controlled burns—long used by Indigenous communities—reduce fuel loads and restore ecological balance. Scaling these efforts requires both state and federal funding and public education to counter fears about smoke and temporary disruptions.Infrastructure Upgrades and Modernization
Aging power grids have been linked to some of the state’s deadliest fires. Utility companies must invest in modernizing their infrastructure—burying power lines in high-risk areas, using AI-driven monitoring systems to detect equipment failures, and expanding microgrid technology to reduce dependence on long-distance transmission.
A Human-Centered Response
Beyond prevention, we must prioritize the human side of recovery. Wildfires don’t just destroy property; they leave lasting scars on survivors’ mental health, financial stability, and sense of security. Comprehensive support systems—including mental health services, affordable insurance options, and streamlined permitting processes for rebuilding—are critical to helping communities recover and thrive.
Addressing wildfires isn’t just the job of firefighters or policymakers. It requires a collective effort involving governments, private companies, nonprofits, and individuals working together. Technology can play a key role, from satellite-based fire detection to AI models that predict fire spread, but human collaboration is just as important. We need to break down silos and ensure that everyone, from first responders to tech innovators, is part of the solution.
Time to Act
The wildfires in Los Angeles are a sobering reminder of what’s at stake. Entire communities face years of rebuilding, while others fear that the subsequent fire may be their turn. But this isn’t a hopeless fight. With the right policies, investments, and collective action, we can build a more resilient California—one where wildfires are a manageable risk, not a yearly catastrophe.
For now, I urge everyone reading this to take action. Donate to organizations like the California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund. Support initiatives advocating for sustainable land use and modernized infrastructure. Above all, we should join the conversation about reshaping our response to this growing threat. Together, we can turn our focus from recovery to resilience.
The time for change is now. Let’s not wait for the next wildfire to force our hand.
Love and Prayers for LA.
Maximillian Diez
GP, Twenty Five Ventures
P.S. Stay with me on this journey.
If nothing else, thanks for reading.
