Wildfires, are becoming more catastrophic because of their size, severity, and the increasing number of homes, businesses, and other assets located in harm’s way. As a result, the costs of government-funded wildfire suppression and recovery, property insurance, utilities, and public health are growing. Facing these rising costs, decisionmakers are turning to data tools that assess and measure determinants of wildfire risk, such as the vulnerability of properties to fire or weather patterns that can make fires worse. The good news is that these models are beginning to drive decision making as the public and private sectors reckon with wildfire risk.

• Publication date: February 2024
• Authors: Andrea Snyder, Colin Foard, and Shayne Kavanagh