The High Divide region, recognized as one of the most intact biological areas in the lower 48 states, is attracting many new residents and home construction is changing the landscape.
Natural Hazards
Wildfire Increasingly an Urban Issue
Wildfires increasingly are threatening urban areas—often repeatedly—putting more homes, lives, infrastructure, and other resources at risk.
Reducing Wildfire Risk to Communities: Nine Solutions
This report outlines a number of solutions to alter the pace, scale, and pattern of future development in the Wildland-Urban Interface.
Better Planning to Reduce Wildfire Risk: A Summit County Case Study and Lessons for Other Communities
Wildfires pose a growing threat to many communities. As more development occurs near wildfire-prone lands, there is a growing need to reduce risk through improved land use policies and tools.
Understanding Climate Change Impacts on Cities, Counties, and National Forest Regions
A sample of research and free tools available to help communities better understand the potential socioeconomic impacts of climate change.
Lessons for Wildfire from Federal Flood Risk Management Programs
This paper reviews the experience of national floodplain management programs to draw lessons for new approaches to reduce the costs and risks posed by wildfire to properties in the Wildland-Urban Interface.
Wildfire Budget, Incentives, and Missed Opportunities
The failure of Congress to pass wildfire disaster funding is a missed opportunity for two reasons: one to stop ‘fire borrowing’ and second to reduce risks and costs to homeowners and the taxpayer.
Study Finds No Evidence Firewise Lowers Suppression Costs
Study finds no evidence of a relationship between wildfire suppression costs and Firewise participation, suggesting policies should focus on other solutions to lower future expenditures, such as preventing development in high risk areas.
Local Responses to Wildfire Risks Are Limited
This study reviews how western communities are addressing wildfire risk, how they have responded to recent major fires, and useful lessons and public policy insights for the future.
The Rising Cost of Wildfire Protection
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.
The Upper Peninsula’s Economy and a Changing Climate
This post summarizes the Climate Adaptation Report which provides a description of key economic sectors at greatest risk from extreme weather or long-term climate shifts and is intended to prepare the region’s forests, water resources, and communities for a less certain future.
Implementing Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons Learned From Ten Examples
This paper presents ten examples of cities and counties around the country and the key lessons learned in the process of moving from planning to implementation on climate change adaptation.
Oregon Home Building, Higher Temperatures Drive Price Tag Ever Higher
This Headwaters Economics study analyzes the impact of housing and climate on the costs of fighting forest fires in National Forests of Oregon.
Preparing Missoula County for a Changing Climate
A report on socioeconomic conditions of Missoula County as part of public process of developing a climate change adaptation plan.
Northern California, Homes, and Cost of Wildfires
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.
Missoula County Homes at Risk in Flood and Wildfire Areas
These two slideshows and related information use Missoula County and Western Montana to show how many homes have been built in flood and wildfire hazard areas, which are vulnerable to larger and more frequent floods and fires.
CPAW Communities
The Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire program works with many communities across the U.S.
Montana Wildfire Cost Study- Technical Report
This report examines how residential development adds to the costs of fighting wildfires, using Montana as a case study.
Wildfires: Development and Temperature Impact Cost and Safety
Headwaters Economics has studied wildfires across the West, analyzing how more homes near forests and increasing temperatures will significantly increase future costs and safety risks.