Variability and consistency in wildfire susceptibility: Insights from a national compilatioI
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Wildfire risk in the United States is rising and remains a land management priority. The quantitative wildfire risk assessment (QWRA) framework integrates fuels, topography, weather and values at risk to estimate the potential change in value from wildfire. Within this, response functions (RFs) represent how values respond to fire intensity. These are often based on expert judgment, but variation across assessments is unclear.
This study uses data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) Wildfire Hazard and Risk Assessment Clearinghouse to characterize consistency and variation across categories and contexts.
We applied descriptive statistics to summarize RFs, using tables, box-and-whisker plots and heat maps stratified by highly valued resource or asset (HVRA) category and spatial scale.
RFs and value definitions vary, especially for ecosystem-related resources. Some functions, such as for buildings in the wildland–urban interface (WUI), translate well across contexts, while others require more input.
Some functions are broadly transferable, while others need customization. This analysis provides references and starting points for improvement to RFs in QWRAs.
Expanding the clearinghouse and dataset and building more transparency in expert elicitation can build trust among communities, agencies and end-users, and can support efficient use of limited resources to mitigate wildfire risk.
Suggested Citation
Russell, A., Bair, L., Meldrum, J.R., and Hawbaker, T., 2026, Variability and consistency in wildfire susceptibility: Insights from a national compilatioI: International Journal of Wildland Fire, v. 35, no. 5, WF25219, 14 p., https://doi.org/10.1071/WF25219.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Variability and consistency in wildfire susceptibility: Insights from a national compilatioI |
| Series title | International Journal of Wildland Fire |
| DOI | 10.1071/WF25219 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Publication Date | May 11, 2026 |
| Year Published | 2026 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | CSIRO Publishing |
| Contributing office(s) | Fort Collins Science Center, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center |
| Description | WF25219, 14 p. |
| Country | United States |