Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Jan. 8, 2026
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How New Tech Can Prevent Catastrophic Wildfires
One year ago, devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles--destroying homes and businesses, scorching tens of thousands of acres, and taking lives.
It's easy to assume catastrophic fires are the new normal, the new American reality. But as RAND's Patrick Roberts writes in the Los Angeles Times this week, they don't have to be.
Roberts is the lead author of a new RAND study exploring how technologies can prevent routine fires from turning into disasters. Sensors and satellites can detect ignitions in minutes. Drones can map hazardous vegetation that is then cleared by autonomous vehicles. And fire-resistant building materials can keep homes intact even when embers land on them.
So why aren't these innovations widely deployed? It's because the United States lacks a coherent system for advancing and scaling wildfire technology. Currently, federal and state agencies, insurers, private companies, and other actors operate under different rules, budgets, and data systems.
The United States could move away from this fragmented system and toward a better approach. Other national systems--such as those for hurricane forecasting, earthquake preparedness, and aviation safety--show what's possible. Wildfire needs its own version of a federal hub that connects innovators, funders, researchers, fire agencies, utilities, and communities.
"The anniversary of the L.A. wildfires is a reminder of what is at stake," Roberts says. "Americans have transformed public risk systems before ... through coordination and smart investment. Wildfire should be next."
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** More on Wildfires **
- RAND's Robert Lempert lost his home in last year's fires. Now, he's using his expertise to help his community rebuild.
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- RAND's Jessica Jensen and Aaron Clark-Ginsberg outline pragmatic steps that everyone can take to prepare for disasters.
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- Jensen expands on what preparedness should mean to Americans as disaster management responsibilities shift away from the federal government and toward states and localities.
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What It Will Take to Rebuild Gaza
The fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is holding, and the U.S.-brokered peace framework has stirred hope in Gaza. But this is also a time for sober realism, says RAND's Shelly Culbertson. Rebuilding Gaza will require an effort on the scale of Europe's post-World War II recovery. And success will depend on getting the details right, including defining property rights, clearing rubble, and addressing workforce shortages. If done well, these efforts could bring Palestinians "not just temporary relief, but a genuine chance to rebuild and remain in their homeland."
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Are AI Companies Ready to Play God?
People increasingly use AI chatbots for mental and physical health advice. If they trust AI with their well-being, then might some also seek help from God through AI--or even treat AI as a god? According to RAND's Douglas Yeung, it's easy to imagine such a scenario, because chatbots appeal to people's spiritual yearnings for meaning and belonging. But "the question is not whether people will seek meaning from AI," he says, "but whether those building these tools will ensure that trust is well-placed."
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** RAND Recommends
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- In case you missed it, we published the 2025 RAND wrap-up, highlighting the research that defined our year.
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- In the Washington Post, Keith Humphreys of Stanford University and RAND's Beau Kilmer explain why the dangers of cannabis-impaired driving have gone largely unaddressed.
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- RAND Europe's Elena Rosa Speciani outlines keys to ensuring that educational technology can support students' success.
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** Policy Minded, RAND's Flagship Podcast
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On Policy Minded, we pick the brains of the world's top policy experts. In each episode, RAND researchers join us for conversations that go beyond the headlines--bringing you insights you can't find anywhere else.
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