UC San Diego Leads Climate Resilience and Wildfire Innovation

California’s climate is shifting faster than many systems can handle. In response, UC San Diego has positioned itself as a regional command center for resilience science—bridging computational modeling, environmental engineering, and public policy.

The Wildfire Science and Technology Commons, based at UCSD, integrates satellite imagery, drones, and machine learning to forecast wildfire spread in real time. The system processes live weather and vegetation data to predict how fires will move under changing conditions, offering local agencies a powerful new decision tool. Already, these predictions are influencing evacuation planning and hazard mapping across Southern California.

On the urban infrastructure side, UCSD civil engineers are working with city planners to redesign stormwater systems for extreme rainfall. Using predictive hydrological models, they are identifying ways to redirect floodwaters into storage basins that replenish aquifers—a crucial adaptation in drought-prone regions.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientists are leading complementary coastal work, monitoring erosion, tides, and storm surge. Their high-resolution sea-level projections now guide city and state adaptation plans, helping protect San Diego’s shoreline communities.

These efforts demonstrate UC San Diego’s expanding role as a practical science partner. The university’s mission is not only to study environmental change but to engineer solutions that can be implemented before the next disaster strikes.