Kelsey Lahr moved to Asheville, NC, believing it to be a climate-resilient area after experiencing climate disasters in California. However, Hurricane Helene devastated the city in 2023, causing severe flooding and loss of life, challenging the notion that any place is truly safe from climate change. Lahr's experience illustrates the increasing severity of climate events and the complexity of moving in search of safety, as many still prefer to stay close to their original homes despite the risks. The underlying belief in climate havens is being reevaluated as extreme weather becomes the new normal.
It was supposed to be a safe place. At least, that's what Kelsey Lahr believed of Asheville, NC. After researching the most climate-resilient places to live in the United States based on data from researchers and experts, Lahr relocated to Asheville in 2020 following years of wildfires and mudslides impacting her home in Santa Barbara, CA.
Clearly southern Appalachia is not the 'climate haven' that it was built up to be, Lahr told the BBC. But in the age of climate change, events are increasing in severity and frequency.
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