Just Accepted

This article has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication. It is in production and has not been edited, so may differ from the final published form.

Changing large wildfire dynamics in the wildland-urban interface of the eastern United States

Noah Weidig , Carissa Wonkka, Michaella Ivey, Victoria Donovan

Abstract

Background The recent increase in large wildfires in the eastern United States makes it crucial to examine the subsequent risk to human life and property. In the eastern U.S., the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where wildfire risk is greatest, has expanded tremendously over the last three decades. Aims This study aimed to understand how increasing wildfires in the eastern U.S. are manifesting in the WUI. Methods We quantified WUI growth and characterized large (>200 hectares) wildfire regimes inside and outside the WUI at multiple spatial scales across the eastern U.S. between 1986 and 2021. Key results WUI wildfires in the eastern U.S. comprised 45% of all large wildfires and 55% of the area burned, were, on average, 46% larger than non-WUI wildfires, and are becoming more frequent in spring. Most increases in wildfire number and area burned occurred outside of the WUI. Conclusion The WUI plays an important role in large wildfire dynamics in the eastern U.S.; however, increases in large wildfire have occurred primarily outside the WUI.

WF24110  Accepted 21 October 2024

© CSIRO 2024