Researchers have found that homes built at the intersection of human development and wildland are increasingly at risk of wildfires and other natural hazards. Despite this danger, people are moving into these wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas and expanding them rapidly. Over the course of two decades from 2000 to 2020, the global footprint of the WUI grew by about 35 percent, reaching an area roughly the size of Mexico. Geographer Jianghao Wang warns that this expansion raises the likelihood of human exposure to wildfires and poses greater threats to life and property.
Recent wildfires in Southern California have highlighted the risks faced by those living in WUI areas. The ongoing Mountain Fire, which began in the Somis area on November 6, has destroyed over 130 properties and forced more than 10,000 people to evacuate. Using satellite data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, Wang and his team mapped the global spread of the WUI at a 30-meter resolution. They found that urbanization had fueled a rapid expansion of the WUI that had accelerated over time, growing from 1.4 million square kilometers in 2000 to 1.9 million square kilometers in 2020.
The United States, eastern China, and Nigeria were among the countries that saw the most significant growth in the WUI. Analysis of satellite detections of wildfires revealed changes in fire activity near the WUI over two periods from 2008 to 2012 and 2018 to 2022. The number of small wildfires near WUI areas, defined as burning one square kilometer or less, increased by about 23 percent between those two times. These findings could be crucial in helping governments develop or refine policies and guidelines to manage wildfire risk in these vulnerable areas.
Wang emphasizes the need for policymakers to prioritize wildfire control as more regions become vulnerable to wildfires due to the expansion of the WUI. It is essential for WUI residents to exercise caution when lighting fires in vegetated areas to avoid exacerbating the hazard for others living on the front lines of fire. The findings from this study can assist in shaping strategies to mitigate the risks faced by those living in WUI areas and provide insights into how to manage wildfire threats effectively.
As people continue to move into nature’s doorstep and into wildfire territory, the conflicts between human development and nature are becoming more pronounced in these areas. The rapid expansion of the WUI poses significant challenges for those living in these wildfire-prone regions, as evidenced by recent events in Southern California. With the increasing risk of human exposure to wildfires, it is crucial for policymakers and residents alike to address these challenges and prioritize wildfire control measures to protect lives and property in the WUI.
