WILDFIRES

There has been a significant increase in the intensity of wildfires in recent decades. This has been driven by a number of factors, including an accumulation of fuels due to significant declines in prescribed burning and fuel management practices during the 19th and 20th centuries, alongside increased aridity — which is expected to worsen under climate change. In addition to the direct costs of wildfires on property, life, and public resources, wildfire smoke is an increasingly important driver of overall air quality, undermining the progress made to improve air quality in recent decades. The smoke from wildfires can travel long distances, affecting air quality and public health in areas far away from the actual fire.

There is little systematic evidence about who is exposed to wildfires, how their consequences are distributed across society, or how resources for prevention and recovery are allocated. Our research combines frontier measurement of wildfire exposure, with individual-level administrative records for almost every legal resident of the U.S over the last two decades to provide a more comprehensive understanding of wildfire risk in the United States.