Montana Wildfire Cost Study: Technical Report
This report examines the ways in which residential development adds to the costs of fighting wildfires, using Montana as a case study. Our findings document a strong correlation between the costs of fighting wildfires and the number of homes threatened and the potential for significant increases in the costs of fire protection if current development trends continue.

An online slideshow presentation of the study is available.

Potential for Future Development on Fire-Prone Lands
New data illustrates the potential for more home construction next to fire-prone public lands and the implications for future wildfire fighting costs. Only 14% of forested western private land adjacent to public land is currently developed for residential use. Based on current growth trends, there is tremendous potential for future development on the remaining 86%. Our findings