Between 1990 and 2020, the number of homes in fire-prone parts of California grew by 40 percent, according to research led by Volker Radeloff, a professor of forest ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. By contrast, the number of homes in less-flammable areas — such as downtowns — only grew by 23 percent.
January 15, 2025
Research
Climate change, high winds, extreme dry conditions the real reasons for Los Angeles fires
About one third of all houses live within a mile-and-a-half of a forest, grassland or another ecosystem, said Volker Radeloff, a professor at UW-Madison who investigates wildfire risk. Scientists call this zone the wildland-urban interface. Researchers at UW-Madison, along with Radeloff, have been tracking this population movement towards natural spaces.
After three collapsed mergers, Sanford CEO shares why fourth time’s a charm
Multiple health systems have abandoned merger and acquisition plans in recent years following FTC interference—but only about 1 percent of hospital mergers are flagged by the government agency, according to an April 2024 study from the University of Chicago, Harvard University, Yale University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. That study—and others—associated health system mergers with rising costs amidst dampened competition.
How the Polar Vortex can bring Arctic blasts to the U.S.
“Thinking about how the central part of the country or even the Gulf Coast states get cold air isn’t just thinking about what’s happening locally,” says Andrea Lopez Lang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. “You have to really zoom out and take a big-picture perspective.”
Higher Education/System
Edgewood College to change to Edgewood University in July 2025
“In 2027, we will celebrate 100 years of advancing our mission since our founding by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa,” President Andrew Manion, said. “As we position the institution to flourish in our second century, the time is right to celebrate by making this change to honor our past, and to embrace the future.”
‘Adulting’ classes offered by UW-Extension
Offering classes under the broad umbrella of “independent living skills” are people like Amanda Kostman, a family living educator with the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Human Development and Relationships Institute.
Agriculture
Why are egg prices rising in Wisconsin? Here’s what’s behind the egg shortage
Of course, $3.65 is just an average. Egg prices are similar across most U.S. states but can vary slightly, said University of Wisconsin-Extension poultry specialist Ron Kean.
“I would say the Midwest tends to be a little bit cheaper, but, by and large, prices are pretty similar, because we can ship eggs pretty easily,” Kean said. “So, if they’re a lot cheaper in one place, people will probably ship (those) eggs to the more expensive areas.”
Community
New student living set to open fall of 2026 by UW-Madison breaks ground
What sets this apartment complex from others, you may ask? For example, a podcast room and expansive rooftop decks are two additional amenities that will be featured.
Health
Improve your health in the new year with optimism, informed alcohol use and synced circadian rhythms
The winter months’ colder temperatures and constant gray skies can really take a toll on your mood. We talk with Shilagh Mirgain, a psychologist at UW Health, about how to cultivate hope and optimism during this dark time of year.
Opinion
UW Engineering hall design doesn’t match rest of campus | Bruce Harville
Letters to the editor: When I look around campus, the most pleasing views include the oldest buildings, or those with some stylistic consistency with their neighbors.
Business/Technology
Bloomberg Law: Obamacare at SCOTUS & soccer monopoly
Antitrust expert Peter Carstensen, a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, discusses the soccer monopoly trial starting up in Brooklyn.
UW Experts in the News
Trump’s ‘mass deportation’ likely to face legal challenges
Knowing your rights in your own home is just as important, said Raffi Friedman, an attorney and clinical instructor with the Immigrant Justice Clinic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For example, some immigrant households are made up of mixed-status families — parents who are undocumented and children who were born in the United States and are legal citizens.
“Those who are U.S. citizens should definitely apply for U.S. passports and have them on them,” Friedman said.
UW-Madison Related
UW Madison student, alum evacuate due to California fires
Since the fires started, roughly 200,000 have received an evacuation notice. Among those who chose to leave their home were UW Madison Alum Raleigh Harris and UW Madison freshman Clementine Harris.
Wisconsin Innocence Project gets $1.5M to free wrongfully convicted
Founded in 1998, the Wisconsin Innocence Project is a law clinic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s law school. Students and staff work to exonerate Wisconsinites who claim innocence in primarily serious cases, such as sexual assault and homicide, Burg said.