资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in wildland vegetation such as forests, shrublands, or grasslands. Due to climate change, a preponderance of fuels in western forests, and an increase in the population living in proximity to high wildfire hazard areas, wildfires have become increasingly destructive in recent years. This explainer discusses the context and consequences of wildfires in the United States, including relevant trends; primary causes; and the impacts on the economy, the environment, and human health. While we will consider trends, causes, and impacts of fire throughout the United States, a substantial portion of this explainer will focus on western wildfires, due to the magnitude of wildfire impacts in the American West.