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Articles by Ray Rasker
From the Archives: You Can’t Fight California Fires With Political Hot Air
Steve and I live safely distant from the wildfires. People from Pacific Palisades who needed shelter were sent to a recreation center at a park in our neighborhood. But it’s certainly a scary time and I have friends who’ve had to flee their homes and have no idea what will be left when they return. This is an article I wrote for Bloomberg Opinion in 2019. The California fires have produced apocalyptic images and rhetoric to match.
Explore COVID-19 unemployment by county
As U.S. jobless claims reach historic levels from the coronavirus pandemic, find county-level unemployment numbers. The coronavirus pandemic has very rapidly and alarmingly transformed the U.S. economy. The maps and chart below show the latest county-level unemployment numbers, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of September 30, 2020. See details in the methods section below. Unemployment is not affecting communities or households equally.
Outdoor recreation a leading industry for Montana
Montanans are passionate about the outdoors and, as we have learned recently, outdoor recreation is big business in our state. Last month the U.S. Department of Commerce released state-by-state estimates of the contribution of outdoor recreation to gross domestic product (GDP). Montana ranks second in the nation for the importance of outdoor recreation to the state economy.
The Value of Montana's Outdoors
Montana is blessed with rich outdoor assets, including 33.8 million acres of public lands, nearly 170,000 miles of river, and more than 3,200 lakes and reservoirs. This generates $7.1 billion in consumer spending, $286 million in state and local taxes, and 71,000 jobs. Montana’s outdoors is part of the state’s culture: 95% of Montanans say outdoor recreation is important to their quality of life.
Adapting to wildfire requires land-use regulations
Wildfires today burn down more homes and kill more people than ever before. Land-use regulations would increase our chances of survival. This September, builders, architects, fire marshals and land-use planners are gathering in Big Sky to learn about wildfire-resistant building materials and techniques and to hear firsthand from communities that are taking steps to become fire-adapted.
People and Public Lands Essays
This collection of essays addresses questions related to the economic impact of America’s public lands. Written by some of the most prominent and respected scholars of public lands, these essays represent the state of the knowledge of the economics of America’s vast natural resources.
Montana's Outdoor Recreation Economy
Montana’s outdoor recreation economy is a powerhouse, generating $7.1 billion in consumer spending and more than 71,000 jobs. Montana residents account for more than half of outdoor recreation spending in the state. Outdoor recreation and access to public lands strengthens community well-being and gives Montana a competitive advantage, helping to attract and retain businesses, families, and visitors.
Bozeman area's robust growth demands planning
Since the start of this century, Montana’s economy has grown significantly faster than the nation. And here in Gallatin Valley, our county has grown significantly faster than Montana. This growth in turn highlights the pressing need to preserve our high quality of life. The growth numbers are well known but are worth restating.
Impact of National Monuments Redesignated National Parks
National Parks overall have much greater visitation, overnight visits, spending per visitor, and economic impacts than National Monuments. In the eight National Monuments redesignated as National Parks examined in this report, visits increased by 21 percent, on average, in the five years after redesignation compared to the five previous years. In the Intermountain West, from 2000 to 2016, recreation visits to National Parks increased while visits to National Monuments decreased.
Gallatin County's Economy, Growth, and Open Space
Overall, Gallatin County’s economy is performing well. From 2001-2016, Gallatin County’s employment increased by 55 percent while total real personal income increased by 111 percent. Compared to Montana, Gallatin County’s real per capita income grew 12 percent faster. As Gallatin County’s economy diversifies, all sectors of the economy are growing, except farm. Since 1990, Gallatin County has lost more open space than any other county in Montana.
Rasker: Wildfires’ heaviest costs fall on cities and counties
The cost of California’s historic 2017 wildfires has not been completely tallied but likely will reach into the hundreds of billions of dollars. What we do know is this: Cities and counties, in the end, will foot at least half of the bill. This isn’t what people generally think happens after a natural disaster like a wildfire, when we imagine the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other taxpayer-funded agencies swooping in to help.
Other Views: Wildfires’ heaviest costs fall on cities and counties
The cost of California’s historic 2017 wildfires has not been completely tallied but likely will reach into the hundreds of billions of dollars. What we do know is this: Cities and counties, in the end, will foot at least half of the bill. This isn’t what people generally think happens after a natural disaster like a wildfire, when we imagine the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other taxpayer-funded agencies swooping in to help.
Commentary: Wildfires’ heaviest costs fall on cities and counties
The cost of California’s historic 2017 wildfires has not been completely tallied but likely will reach into the hundreds of billions of dollars. What we do know is this: Cities and counties, in the end, will foot at least half of the bill.This isn’t what people generally think happens after a natural disaster like a wildfire, when we imagine the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other taxpayer-funded agencies swooping in to help.
Commentary: Wildfires’ heaviest costs fall on cities and counties
The cost of California’s historic 2017 wildfires has not been completely tallied but likely will reach into the hundreds of billions of dollars. What we do know is this: Cities and counties, in the end, will foot at least half of the bill.This isn’t what people generally think happens after a natural disaster like a wildfire, when we imagine the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other taxpayer-funded agencies swooping in to help.
Communities Threatened by Wildfire, 2000-2017: Sortable Table
Resources Post: Communities Threatened by Wildfires Map Tool: Communities Threatened by Wildfires Wildfire Summary Slideshow Presentation Communities Reducing Wildfire Risk Through Land Use Planning Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) CPAW Slideshow Presentation Solutions Journal: Resolving Wildfire Risk Op-Ed in Los Angeles Times on Full Cost Local Costs of Wildfires Wildfire Experts' Paper
Communities Threatened by Wildfire, 2000-2017: Sortable Table
Communities Threatened by Wildfire, 2000-2017: Sortable Table April 1, 2018 View an update to this research, showing communities threatened by wildfire from 2000-2019. Methods and Definitions (PDF)
Assessing Wildfire and Populations at Risk
This tool was produced in partnership with the City of Santa Fe Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station to help the community in assessing wildfire and populations at risk.
Assessing Wildfire and Populations at Risk
This tool was produced in partnership with the City of Santa Fe Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station to help the community in assessing wildfire and populations at risk.
Lessons from the Timber Transition
Updated December 2021 As a group, formerly timber-dependent counties are not doing better or worse than the rest of the West in key socioeconomic measures. Among the formerly timber-dependent counties there is wide variability in socioeconomic performance, with some counties outperforming their peers. Counties that weathered the timber transition provide economic development lessons.
Montana's Economy, Public Lands, and Competitive Advantage
Overall, Montana’s economy is performing well. From 2001-2015, Montana’s employment increased by 20% while total real personal income increased by nearly half. Compared to the U.S., Montana’s real per capita income grew more than twice as fast. As Montana’s economy diversifies, state assets–such as quality education and federal public lands–are increasingly important to attracting businesses and people crucial to the state’s economic future.
The Economic Value of Federal Public Lands (slides)
Ray is the co-founder and former Executive Director of Headwaters Economics. Ray retired in 2021 and can be reached at rayrasker@gmail.com or 406 570-7044
Guest opinion: Wilderness role grows in today's economy
At the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, it is encouraging that lands set aside for conservation can also have tremendous economic value. Wild places are key to attracting entrepreneurs, as well as a tidal wave of retiring baby boomers. And, more obviously, wild places create jobs in outdoor recreation, now a $646 billion industry. Simply put, people care about quality landscapes and it influences where they live, play and do business. A number of studies bear this out.
Preparing Missoula County for a Changing Climate
Climate change is a real and growing concern for Missoula County. To learn more and involve the community, Headwaters Economics–in cooperation with the Clark Fork Coalition and the Geos Institute–recently convened a Climatewise Workshop. At the workshop, local experts and residents learned about the latest climate science and potential risks for Missoula County, and applied their local knowledge and experience to identify strategies to prepare for possible changes.
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