New FEMA, USFA Wildland Urban Interface Report Available as Significant Wildfire Risk Persists

Extreme heat and very dry conditions are, unfortunately, now fueling numerous and in some cases massive fires across the country. And not just in densely wooded forests but in, or on, the fringes of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. This is increasingly problematic. i.e., dangerous, to people and property as WUIs are the fastest-growing land use type in the contiguous U.S. (at least 9% of the total land area).

Understanding the risks that WUI development creates and the need for concerted efforts to facilitate change, FEMA’s U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has released a new report of special significance at this critical time. Entitled “Wildland Urban Interface: A Look at Issues and Resolutions,” the report identifies 33 challenges within 13 key WUI issues and provides 112 recommendations that are equitable and salable at a national, regional, or local level. Among the issues addressed are firefighter/public he