Risk Analytics
Assessing
A foundational framework for wildfire risk assessment is provided by the U.S. Forest Service, which outlines a scalable and flexible process based on three core modeling approaches: characterizing wildfire likelihood and intensity, analyzing fire effects, and assessing the relative importance and spatial extent of highly valued resources and assets (HVRAs) that could be impacted.
This landscape-scale, short-term framework integrates data on ignitions, weather, topography, and fuel conditions to model burn probability and fire behavior, supporting pre-fire planning for fuels management, response strategies, and mitigation investments.
Predicting
Wildfire analytical tools and research focus on improving decision-making for wildfire management through advanced modeling, real-time data integration, and scientific analysis. Wildfire Analytics, a research team at the University of Alberta, develops practical tools and approaches for decision-makers working in fire-prone environments, emphasizing safety, integrity, diversity, respect, and collaboration.
Managing
Wildfire risk management involves a comprehensive, data-driven approach to reduce the threat of wildfires, particularly in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), by addressing key risk factors such as likelihood, intensity, exposure, and susceptibility.
A strategic risk management framework emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between extreme-weather wildfires, landscape conditions, and home ignition potential.