LibGuides: Firefighting: Wildland Urban Interface: Home

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Agencies and Associations To Know

U.S. Department of the Interior: Office of Wildland Fire "The Office of Wildland Fire supports wildland fire management across the Interior Department. We strategically invest more than $1.75 billion dollars each year to reduce wildfire risk, respond to wildfires, rehabilitate burned landscapes, promote a better understanding of wildfire, and support the wildland fire workforce."
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Fire Management The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) works closing with neighboring communities to reduce future wildfire risks to homes near national wildlife refuges and other FWS lands. Homeowner responsibility for maintaining property according to fire safety standards is essential to effectively protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire.
National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) This agency focuses on making sure that wildland firefighting operations are interoperable between agencies from different levels of government: national, Tribal, state...
NWCG - Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee The Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee (WUIMC) provides national leadership in wildland urban interface fire mitigation through the promotion and development of fire adapted communities in the wildland urban interface.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) The federal agency responsible for coordinating disaster response and relief.
United States Fire Administration (USFA) Part of FEMA, the mission of this agency is "to support and strengthen fire and emergency medical services (EMS) and stakeholders to prepare for, prevent, mitigate and respond to all hazards."
IAFC - International Assocation of Fire Chiefs Their mission statement: To provide leadership to current and future career, volunteer, fire-rescue and EMS chiefs, chief fire officers, company officers, and managers of emergency service organizations throughout the international community through vision, information, education, services, and representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities."
National Fire Protection Association A nonprofit which publishes codes and standards in the areas of fire, life, and electrical safety. They also publish fire news, perform research, and more.
International Association for Firefighters (IAFF) A firefighter's union active in US and Canada.

What is the Wildland-Urban Interface?

The United States Fire Administration defines the Wildland Urban Interface (or WUI) as "the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development. It is the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels." In the 21st century numerous wildfires, especially in California, have devastated human settlement areas. This LibGuide presents resources for firefighters and the general public about the history of WUI fires, strategies for fighting them, efforts communities can make to prevent and mitigate their effects, and the role developing technologies such as AI and drones play in fighting them.

The Problem

"As more and more people live in and around forests, grasslands, shrub lands, and other natural areas—places referred to the wildland-urban interface, or WUI—the fire-related challenges of managing wildlands are on the increase" (USDA, Wildfire, Wildlands, and People: understanding and preparing for wildfire in the wildland-urban interface, 2013).

A wildfire approaches the line between a forest and a residential area.

This photo depicts the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego, CA. Sourced from the Municipality of Anchorage.

An Introductory Resource

USDA 2013 Report: Wildfire, Wildlands, and People: "Understanding and Preparing for Wildfire in the Wildland-Urban Interface"
"Fire has historically played a fundamental ecological role in many of America’s wildland areas. However, the rising number of homes in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), associated impacts on lives and property from wildfire, and escalating costs of wildfire management have led to an urgent need for communities to become “fire-adapted.” We present maps of the conterminous United States that illustrate historical natural fire regimes, the wildland-urban interface, and the number and location of structures burned since 1999. We outline a sampler of actions, programs, and community planning and development options to help decrease the risks of and damages from wildfire." -- abstract