How lidar measures the cost of climate disasters

Researchers are using lidar technology to measure the impact of climate disasters, such as the $60 billion losses from the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires. Lidar, which uses laser light pulses to map surfaces, can detect changes in landscapes post-disaster, aiding in understanding the effects of events like wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and mudslides. By comparing before-and-after lidar snapshots, scientists can track changes in elevation, revealing the scale of devastation in ways satellite imagery cannot. Lidar data helps quantify the costs of climate disasters and prepare for future events, but budget cuts to scientific research may jeopardize these essential data collection projects.