Since 2000, the US alone has experienced 18 different wildfire events that have caused more than $1 billion in damage. Many were in places where development intertwines with more rural and wild spaces. These areas are known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI).
This interactive map from Esri documents WUI on a global scale. Built on data from the SILVIS Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, it shows where development intersects with forests, shrubs, wetlands, and grasslands.
This striking map makes it clear where human activities and wildlands collide. Vibrant oranges and yellows show places where development has encroached into wildlands. Paler yellows and oranges show where development is near wild areas.
It’s important to note that WUI doesn’t represent fire risk, but it does show fire potential. Wildfire risk depends on climate and other considerations. Still, areas where development and vegetation mix have a higher overall potential for wildfire.
You can see WUI in places that have experienced destructive fires in recent years. This includes Paradise, California, and Hawaii. However, in the US, WUI is far more prevalent in the eastern part of the country where wildfires are less common.
There are pockets of WUI on nearly every continent. Western Europe is dotted with WUI, and several countries in eastern Africa, including Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, have large WUI areas. Parts of Indonesia and western China have abundant WUI areas. Despite being home to the largest population in the world, India actually has relatively few WUI areas.
Maps like this can help policymakers prioritize wildfire mitigation efforts. They also help communities understand how critical infrastructure like hospitals interact with wildlands. As development pushes further into wild areas, these insights can improve resilience.
More to Explore
- Learn more about how this interactive map was made.
- See where fires have burned globally in recent years.
