Californians Worry About Wildfires, Climate Change, Survey Finds

The devastating wildfires that erupted in January, coupled with this month’s deadly Texas floods, appear to have jolted Californians into a renewed awareness of climate risks.

Wildfires now rank as the top environmental concern in the state, according to a new survey from the Public Policy Institute of California, which polled 1,736 adult residents. While most respondents see climate change as a serious threat to California’s future economy and quality of life, they are growing increasingly uneasy about the personal financial toll of addressing it.

Although a majority of Californians support the state’s ambitious clean energy goals—such as achieving 100 percent renewable electricity by 2045 — that support weakens when cost enters the equation. Just 40 percent of respondents said they are willing to pay more for renewable energy, a sharp decline from 56 percent in 2016. The drop signals rising resistance to climate policies that hit consumers’ wallets.

“Affordability and cost of living are generally the top issues that Californians say the state is facing,” said Lauren Mora, a survey analyst at PPIC, in an interview with LAist. “Californians are already not happy with the costs that they’re paying on energy bills. And when we ask about the possibility of paying more, Californians are just not for it.”

Still, last November, nearly 60 percent of voters approved a $10 billion climate bond aimed at funding wildfire prevention, clean energy, and water infrastructure. That support suggests many residents are committed to climate action—though not without limits.

As federal climate policy shifts in a less aggressive direction, state lawmakers now face a core challenge: Californians broadly want decisive action, but fewer are willing — or able — to bear the cost.

“Majorities believe that the federal government is not doing enough to address global climate change and favor the state government making its own policies on climate change,” said Mark Baldassare, director of the PPIC Statewide Survey.

Michael Wara, a climate and energy expert at Stanford, told LAist that he found that detail interesting.

“I think the state has been trying to do a lot. Local governments have been trying to do a lot as well. But there’s a recognition that we need to do even more. And so what does that look like?”

The July 1–7 survey also found that 82 percent of Californians consider wildfires a problem in their area, with 46 percent calling them a “big” problem. Nearly one-third—31 percent—see wildfires as a “very serious” threat to their personal and financial well-being.

Confidence in wildfire preparedness remains low. Just 27 percent of those surveyed said they have a “great deal” of trust in the government’s ability to respond effectively. Around 60 percent said state and local officials are not doing enough to prevent and recover from wildfires.

Climate-related financial strain is another growing concern. Sixty percent of Californians said they are very worried that climate change will drive up home insurance costs, and 57 percent fear they may soon be unable to secure coverage at all.

“A lot of people are understandably concerned about how this may affect their ability to afford their home,” said Wara. “And, of course, everyone in California is struggling to afford their home in the first place. So this is like a wild card that they’re being dealt by climate change and wildfire.”

READ MORE: Mayor Waives Coastal Rules, Launches Pre-Approved Home Designs For Palisades Rebuild