Climate and Wildfire Risk in the Southwest

Wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent in the U.S. Southwest. Understanding how climate drives landscape changes that contribute to wildfire activity is essential for developing effective mitigation policies and programs. This project brings together climate and ecological landscape data with the firsthand knowledge of wildfire planners, land managers, agricultural producers, and communities to identify how wildfire risks are shifting. By characterizing the evolving wildfire risk landscape, we can support adaptive management strategies that account for weather and climate influences, as well as the Southwest’s unique ecological and social contexts, to promote more effective fire management.