Wealthier, Whiter Areas Are More Likely to Get Help After Fires, Data Show New research offers further signs that racial and economic inequality leave some Americans more exposed to the worsening effects of climate change. Homes threatened by the Blue Ridge Fire in Irvine, Calif., in October.Credit...Eric Thayer for The New York Times Published Dec. 16, 2020Updated March 30, 2021 WASHINGTON — Wealthier and whiter neighborhoods stricken by wildfires are more likely to get help to reduce the risk of future fires, new data suggest, the latest evidence that racial and economic inequality leaves some Americans more exposed to the worsening effects of climate change.