Fire season is here again. Actually, in the Northern Hemisphere – especially California – there are two distinct fire seasons that essentially overlap: a heat-driven summer fire season from June through September and wind-driven ‘Santa Ana’ fires from October through April. In the United States, an average of 100,000 wildfires (also known as wildland fires) burn 4 to 5 million acres each year. Drought, extreme heat, thunderstorms, and arsonists contribute to the risk. The risk of conflagration is amplified where the forest, chaparral, or bush meets the population. Especially risky fires occur at this ‘urban-wildland’ interface because of the increased damage to populated regions, their buildings and economies.
Managing Hazards and Risks
Managing wildfire risk requires actions at all phases of disaster management: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. In addition, all phases of action have tactical, operational, strategic and financial/economic dimensions. As an example, hazard and risk data informs a range of decisions at all phases including evacuation decisions (choosing proper protective actions such as evacuation, in-place protection, or…
