Yes, wildfires can devastate communities – but they can also help strengthen them, this CU researcher says

 Wildfires in Colorado rip through communities. They torch homes and disrupt lives. But wildfires also cause some surprising – maybe even uplifting – things to happen. They make people more resilient. They strengthen the bonds between neighbors. And those stronger connections help people prepare for future emergencies.  That’s according to Lori Peek – a researcher who studies how communities come together during and after natural disasters. Lori is a sociologist and the director of the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.  Today, we’re listening back to a recent conversation she had with Erin O’Toole about the surprisingly robust field of study that examines how humans interact during and after a crisis. Sign up for the In The NoCo newsletter: Visit KUNC.orgQuestions? Feedback? Story ideas? Email us: [email protected] what you're hearing? Help more people discover In The NoCo by rating the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!Host and Producer: Erin O'TooleProducer: Ariel LaveryExecutive Producer: Brad TurnerTheme music by Robbie ReverbAdditional music by Blue Dot SessionsIn The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.