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Land use planning can reduce wildfire risk to homes and communities

Wildfire risk to people and homes is increasing. While climate change and decades of fuel buildup have exacerbated wildfires, ongoing home development in wildfire-prone lands is also driving wildfire risks to communities.

Building a home with wildfire in mind can increase a home’s survivability. Using wildfire-resistant building materials in the construction of a home can reduce vulnerabilities and opportunities for ignition. Additionally, managing the vegetation immediately surrounding the home—known as the home ignition zone (HIZ)— reduces the potential for a home to ignite during a wildfire.

In areas with high wildfire hazard, land use planning can reduce wildfire risks to homes and communities by requiring new developments to comply with wildfire-resistant design and building techniques.

K. Barrett. Land use planning can reduce wildfire risk to homes and communities. Headwaters Economics. April 2020.

Posted by:
Gloria Edwards
Published on:
June 10, 2020

Categories: Article/Book/Chapter, Highlights, Technical ReportTags: community engagement, community fire response, community planning, Community Wildfire Protection Plans, fire policy, forest policy, fuel breaks, fuel loading, fuel treatments, fuels, fuels management, fuels removal, fuels treatments, hazard mitigation, Hazardous Fuels Treatments, home ignition zone, Land Management, land use planning, pre-fire risk assessment, wildfire behavior, wildfire frequency, wildfire hazard, wildfire intensity, Wildfire Operations & Management, wildfire policy, wildfire risk, wildfire risk assessment, wildfire risk mitigation, wildfire risk reduction, Wildlife

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This regional Fire Exchange is one of 15 regional fire science exchanges sponsored by the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP).
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