It is possible to mitigate a lot of risks by building appropriately. Like I've seen houses built in places at risk of floods where much of the first floor of the building is designed to blow away while the upper stories are supported on pilings. People in fire areas can keep the area around their house clear of fuel, and build their roofs out of non-flammable material. Skyscrapers in earthquake zones are built on shock absorbers and have inertia dampeners.