Title:

Wildfire Risk to Communities: Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Zones for the United States

Author(s):

Dillon, Gregory K.; Lazarz, Mitchell T.; Karau, Eva C.; Story, Scott J.; Pohl, Kelly A.

Publication Year:

2024

How to Cite:

These data were collected using funding from the U.S. Government and can be used without additional permissions or fees. If you use these data in a publication, presentation, or other research product please use the following citation:

Dillon, Gregory K.; Lazarz, Mitchell T.; Karau, Eva C.; Story, Scott J.; Pohl, Kelly A. 2024. Wildfire Risk to Communities: Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Zones for the United States. Updated 27 May 2025. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0030

The data presented here are the product of modeling, and as such carry an inherent degree of error and uncertainty. Users are strongly encouraged to read and fully comprehend the metadata and other available documentation prior to data use. No warranty is made by the Originator as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data, or for purposes not intended by the Originator. These data are intended to provide nationally-consistent information for the purpose of comparing relative wildfire risk among communities nationally or within a state or county. Data included here are not intended to replace locally-calibrated state, regional, or local risk assessments where they exist. It is the responsibility of the user to be familiar with the value, assumptions, and limitations of these national data publications. Managers and planners must evaluate these data according to the scale and requirements specific to their needs. Spatial information may not meet National Map Accuracy Standards. This information may be updated without notification.

Abstract:

This data publication includes Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Zone rasters, products delivered as part of the Wildfire Risk to Communities project. There are two types of data included: 1) raster spatial data that delineate Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Zones for all populated areas in the continental United States (CONUS), Alaska, and Hawaii; and 2) tabular summaries by communities, counties, tribal areas, and states of wildfire hazard and risk produced as part of the Wildfire Risk to Communities (WRC) project.

The Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Zones (CWiRRZ) product is a 30-m raster delineating areas where mitigation activities will be most effective at protecting homes from most types of wildfire. The zones are determined by the spatial coincidence of wildfire likelihood (Burn Probability), and populated areas. There are four Risk Reduction Zones: Minimal Exposure Zone, Indirect Exposure Zone, Direct Exposure Zone, and Wildfire Transmission Zone. However, the CWiRRZ raster can be further deconstructed into ten zones, wherein the Wildfire Transmission Zone is separated into the following surface fuel types: Tree, Shrub, Grass, Agriculture, Non-Vegetated, Water, and Outlying Wildlands (area beyond 2400-m from buildings).

Keywords:

environment; geoscientificInformation; society; structure; Ecology, Ecosystems, & Environment; Fire; Fire detection; Fire ecology; Fire effects on environment; Fire suppression, pre-suppression; Prescribed fire; Environment and People; Forest management; Landscape management; burn probability; hazard; fuels management; fire suppression; fire likelihood; fire planning; risk assessment; wildfire hazard potential; conterminous United States; CONUS; Alaska; Hawaii

Related publications:

• Scott, Joe H.; Dillon, Gregory K.; Jaffe, Melissa R.; Vogler, Kevin C.; Olszewski, Julia H.; Callahan, Michael N.; Karau, Eva C.; Lazarz, Mitchell T.; Short, Karen C.; Riley, Karin L.; Finney, Mark A.; Grenfell, Isaac C. 2024. Wildfire Risk to Communities: Spatial datasets of landscape-wide wildfire risk components for the United States. 2nd Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2020-0016-2
• Jaffe, Melissa R.; Scott, Joe H.; Callahan, Michael N.; Dillon, Gregory K.; Karau, Eva C.; Lazarz, Mitchell T. 2024. Wildfire Risk to Communities: Spatial datasets of wildfire risk for populated areas in the United States. 2nd Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2020-0060-2

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  • RDS-2024-0030_Metadata_Fileindex.zip (25.06 KB; Checksum)
  • RDS-2024-0030_Supplements.zip (40.58 MB; Checksum)
  • RDS-2024-0030_Data_Alaska.zip (45.91 MB; Checksum)
  • RDS-2024-0030_Data_CONUS.zip (1.13 GB; Checksum)
  • RDS-2024-0030_Data_Hawaii.zip (2.3 MB; Checksum)

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