Though often viewed as a problem for western states, the growing frequency of wildfires is a national concern because of its impact on federal tax dollars, says Professor Max Moritz, a specialist in fire ecology and management.

In 2015, the US Forest Service for the first time spent more than half of its $5.5 billion annual budget fighting fires—nearly double the percentage it spent on such efforts 20 years ago. In effect, fewer federal funds today are going towards the agency’s other work—such as forest conservation, watershed and cultural resources management, and infrastructure upkeep—that affect the lives of all Americans.

Another nationwide concern is whether public funds from other agencies are going into construction in fire-prone districts. As Moritz puts it, how often are federal dollars building homes that are likely to be lost to a wildfire?

“It’s already a huge problem from a public expenditure perspective for the whole country,” he says. “We need to take a magnifying glass to that. Like, ‘Wait a minute, is this OK?’ Do we want instead to redirect those funds to concentrate on lower-hazard parts of the landscape?”

Such a view would require a corresponding shift in the way US society today views fire, researchers say.

For one thing, conversations about wildfires need to be more inclusive. Over the past decade, the focus has been on climate change—how the warming of the Earth from greenhouse gases is leading to conditions that worsen fires.

While climate is a key element, Moritz says, it shouldn’t come at the expense of the rest of the equation.

“The human systems and the landscapes we live on are linked, and the interactions go both ways,” he says. Failing to recognize that, he notes, leads to “an overly simplified view of what the solutions might be. Our perception of the problem and of what the solution is becomes very limited.”

At the same time, people continue to treat fire as an event that needs to be wholly controlled and unleashed only out of necessity, says Professor Balch at the University of Colorado. But acknowledging fire’s inevitable presence in human life is an attitude crucial to developing the laws, policies, and practices that make it as safe as possible, she says.

“We’ve disconnected ourselves from living with fire,” Balch says. “It is really important to understand and try and tease out what is the human connection with fire today.”

1.More frequent wildfires have become a national concern because in 2015 they _________.

A consumed a record-high percentage of budget

B severely damaged the ecology of western states

C caused a huge rise of infrastructure expenditure

D exhausted unprecedented management efforts

解析：选A。A细节理解题。根据2015定位到第二段，根据第二段第一句可知2015年美国林务局首次将年度预算的一半以上用于扑灭林火，即花费超预算且创纪录，A符合原文，故选A。

2.Moritz calls for the use of “a magnifying glass” to _________.

A avoid the redirection of federal money

B find wildfire-free parts of the landscape

C raise more funds for fire-prone areas

D guarantee safer spending of public funds

解析：选D。D推理判断题。根据Moritz和magnifying定位到第四段，可知莫里茨表示我们需要拿放大镜看一看，想想这样做是否可以，是否应该将资金转移到风险更低的地区，推断他考虑到公共资金的安全性，故选D。

3.While admitting that climate is a key element, Moritz notes that _________.

A public debates have not settled yet

B a shift in the view of fire has taken place

C other factors should not be overlooked

D fire-fighting conditions are improving

解析：选C。C细节理解题。由climate is a key element定位到While climate is a key element, Moritz says, it shouldn’t come at the expense of the rest of the equation.可知虽然气候是个关键因素，但莫里茨认为不应该以牺牲其他部分为代价，C符合原文，故选C。

4.The overly simplified view Moritz mentions is a result of failing to _________.

A discover the fundamental makeup of nature

B explore the mechanism of the human systems

C understand the interrelations of man and nature

D maximize the role of landscape in human life

解析：选C。C细节理解题。由overly simplified view定位到倒数第三段，莫里茨认为人与环境是相互联系、相互作用的，如果我们没认识到这点，那就会导致对解决方案的看法过于简单化，C符合原文，故选C。

5.Professor Balch points out that fire is something man should _________.

A do away with

B come to terms with

C pay a price for

D keep away from

解析：选B。B推理判断题。由Professor Balch定位到最后两段，可知鲍尔奇教授认为火灾不可避免，理解人类与火灾之间的联系非常重要，B更符合鲍尔奇教授的观点，故选B。