Issue: Fire in the Wildland Urban Interface

The wildland-urban interface can be thought of as the place where structures meet wildland fuels. It's where "the leaves meet the eaves." As development continues to expand into forested areas of the state, there is increasing forest fire risk, particularly in those parts of the state which have high forest fire potential. Increased development in the wildland-urban interface presents a major challenge in protecting life, property and forest resources from destructive wildfires.

Use the model implementation language below to develop goals, objectives, and policies that address this issue.

• Model Implementation Language
• Fact Sheet (PDF, 314K)

Consider the Issue by Element

Issues and Opportunities
Housing
Transportation
Utilities and Community Facilities
Agricultural, Natural and Cultural Resources
Intergovernmental Cooperation
Land Use

Trends related to Fire in the Wildland Urban Interface

Average acreage burned by forests has declined.
Great strides have been made in controlling forest fires since initial efforts to suppress fires over 70 years ago. The annual acreage burned in Wisconsin has declined with improvements in forest fire detection and suppression techniques, saving lives, property and forest resources. However, human behavior, combined with weather conditions and available fuels continue to play a critical role in determining the number and extent of forest fires in any given year. It has been more than a decade since Wisconsin has experienced prolonged severe fire weather.

Control of forest fire affects forest composition.
The control of forest fires in Wisconsin is a necessity given the close proximity of forests, people and property. The suppression of forest fires affects the composition, structure and function of forests by facilitating the conversion of non-forested land to forest. Controlled fire is increasingly used as a tool to mimic the attributes of fire in maintaining some forest and non-forest ecosystems, including prairie, oak savanna and pine barrens.

Development is increasing in forest fire-prone areas.
As development continues to expand into forested areas of the state, there is an increasing forest fire risk due to human factors, particularly in those parts of the state which have high fire potential. The increased human presence in the wildland urban interface presents a major challenge in protecting life, property and the forest resource from destructive forest fires.