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Wildland-Urban Interface

Construction costs for a wildfire-resistant home: California edition

July 2022

In light of rising wildfire risks, we analyzed the costs of constructing homes to three levels of wildfire resistance in California.

Wood roofs are a $6 billion wildfire problem

July 2022

At least 1.2 million wood roofs are in areas with wildfire risk. Funding is needed to help communities prepare for wildfire.

The unequal impacts of wildfire

September 2021

Aerial view of neighborhood destroyed by wildfire.

See where wildfire risk intersects social and economic factors that can make it difficult for people to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfire.

Wildland-Urban Interface: The Problem, Trends, & Solutions (slides)

February 2021

Slide show: The wildland-urban interface is growing and wildfires are causing cause more damage. Land use planning is an important solution.

Wildfires destroy thousands of structures each year

November 2020

Wildfire burns near a home in California

Explore the number of structures destroyed in each state by wildfire. Structures lost—rather than acres burned—provides a more complete measure of the broad impacts of wildfire.

Communities threatened by wildfires, 2000-2019

July 2020

A wildfire burns over a ridge near a neighborhood.

From 2000-2019, nearly 2,000 U.S. communities were threatened by wildfires or potential ember spread, showing the need for adaptive planning strategies.

Newsletter: November 2019

November 2019

Our latest newsletter contains research on state trust lands in transition, state outdoor recreation economies, wildfire-resistant homes, and more. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Wildfire Hazard Assessments Inform Land Use Planning

July 2019

headwaters-staff-Kimiko-Barrett

Wildfire hazard assessment maps can help communities build safer neighborhoods, prioritize mitigation resources, and adapt to wildfire.

Building a Wildfire-Resistant Home: Codes and Costs

November 2018

A new home built to wildfire-resistant codes can be constructed for roughly the same cost as a typical home.

Summary: Wildfire Costs, New Development, and Rising Temperatures

April 2016

This summary highlights the major research Headwaters Economics has conducted concerning controlling fire suppression costs, state case studies, and the growth of homes in the WUI.

The Rising Cost of Wildfire Protection

June 2013

This report describes how the protection of homes in the Wildland-Urban Interface has added to wildfire costs and concludes with a discussion of solutions that may help control escalating risks and expenses.

Northern California, Homes, and Cost of Wildfires

August 2011

California fire

This Headwaters Economics study analyzes the impact of housing and climate on the costs of fighting forest fires in the twelve national forests of the Sierra Nevada.

Montana Wildfire Cost Study- Technical Report

August 2008

Jocko Lake

This report examines how residential development adds to the costs of fighting wildfires, using Montana as a case study.

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