Fact Sheet 2019–3025 

April 2019

A pine forest in 

the southeastern

U.S., shown here, 

requires wildland fire 

to remain healthy.

 Wildland fire behavior and risk management—

Wildland fire patterns; wildfire risk-reduction 

strategies by means of fuel treatments to reduce the 

amount of combustible material, and fire breaks to 

help contain the spread of fires; effects of invasive 

plant species and of insects and diseases on fire 

patterns; risk mitigation in wildland/urban interfaces.

Fire ecology, fire effects, and restoration of post-fire 

ecosystems―Effects of wildfires and fuel treatments on 

plants, animals, and ecosystems; impacts of changing weather 

and climate on the occurrence and effects of wildfires; 

beneficial effects of fire; post-fire recovery and restoration.

• Risk assessments for human health, public safety, and the 

Nation’s infrastructure―Assessment of health risks from 

smoke, ash, and particulates; post-fire flooding and debris-flow 

hazard assessment, early warning, and mitigation; fire effects 

on water quality and quantity and on water-supply systems.

• Remote sensing and geospatial tools and data―Aerial and 

satellite imagery (such as Landsat); broad suite of data and 

tools used by fire incident teams (LANDFIRE, MTBS, 

GeoMac); technology research (new sensors, unmanned aerial 

vehicles, data archives, and tools).

Supporting Wildland Fire and Land Management

Why is Fire Science Needed?

Wildfires are expensive and have massive impacts on 

people―causing the loss of homes, livelihoods, and lives―

yet fire in wildlands is essential to reduce future wildfire risk, 

improve wildlife habitat, and manage fire-adapted species in 

many ecosystems across the country. Fire and land managers 

are faced with emerging natural resource challenges that 

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science can address. These 

challenges offer opportunities for engagement of USGS fire 

scientists to provide current, credible, and essential information 

and tools. Emerging issues in fire science include—

• Changing climate and more extreme weather―Warming 

temperatures, drought, and erratic precipitation 

increase the intensity and size of fires, 

lengthen fire seasons, and hinder the 

recovery of vegetation.

• Development in wildlands―Increased 

development in wildlands makes 

it more expensive and complex to 

manage fires and reduce risk.

• Effects of invasive plant species 

and of insect and disease 

outbreaks―Invasive plant species 

change fire frequency, size, and risk, 

while insect and disease outbreaks 

increase fire risk, threaten forestry uses, 

and challenge habitat recovery.

• Accumulation of fuels―Over 100 years of fire suppression has 

resulted in fuel accumulation, which raises fire severity and 

increases vulnerability to insects and disease.

• High costs of fighting fires―Increased costs are incurred because 

multiple challenges require complex management solutions.

 USGS Fire Science

USGS fire science helps land, fire, and emergency 

managers by providing new knowledge, data, and 

tools to promote cost-effective and informed fire 

management. Active areas of research include—

Wildland Fire Science—

2018 U.S. Wildland Fire Facts

• $3.1 billion in Federal fire suppression costs

• Over $1 billion in State fire suppression costs

• 8.7 million acres burned in wildfires (compared 

 with the 20-year average of 6.9 million acres)

• 25,790 structures burned

• $11.4 billion in claimed losses from California fires alone

• More than 120 fatalities (including 19 firefighters)

• 6.4 million acres burned in planned fires, prescribed 

 to reduce future fire risks.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Wildland Fire Science Program produces fundamental information to identify the 

causes of wildfires, understand the impacts and benefits of both wildfires and prescribed fires, and help prevent 

and manage larger, catastrophic events. Our fire scientists provide information and develop tools that are widely 

used by stakeholders to make decisions before, during, and after wildfires in desert, grassland, tundra, wetland, 

and forest ecosystems across the United States.

U.S. Department of the Interior Printed on recycled paper

U.S. Geological Survey
0 5 10 Miles

Landsat 5, June 24, 2011 Landsat 7, July 2, 2011

Tree

Canopy 

Height

93 m

2 m

ISSN 2327-6916 (print)

ISSN 2327-6932 (online)

Authors: 

Paul F. Steblein, Mark P. Miller, 

and Suzanna C. Soileau

For more information:

http://www.usgs.gov/fire

1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747)

Photograph credits: Cheatgrass, Nolan Preece,

used with permission. Drip torch, Eric Knapp, 

U.S. Forest Service. Forest with smoke along 

center right edge of front page, ©iStock.com. 

All other images from U.S. Geological Survey.

Publishing support provided by the U.S. 

Geological Survey, Science Publishing 

Network, Reston and Tacoma Publishing 

Service Centers. Design: William Gibbs

USGS Fire Science is Used Before, During, and After a Wildfire

Upper left: Invasive cheatgrass replaces the native sagebrush community, 

leading to higher incidence and severity of wildfires. Upper right: A drip 

torch is used to ignite a prescribed fire. Lower: Oblique-view lidar map of 

vegetation, which can be used before fires to plan fuel treatments. 

Before wildfires occur, USGS scientists seek to understand the roles that 

fire plays in different ecosystems and regions. They also determine how 

different fire management techniques affect fire risks, wildlife, ecosystems, 

and watersheds. Results of the research include data and tools that help 

managers develop and implement fire and fuel management plans.

The USGS and collaborators produce extensive datasets and tools to detect wildfires, monitor the progress of a fire, and 

model fire and smoke behavior. They also determine health and safety implications from smoke and ash, and develop 

new fire science applications with emerging technology (for example, through the use of satellites and sensors).

USGS scientists study direct effects of fires (loss of vegetation and ground cover) and 

their indirect consequences (post-fire debris flows and flooding). They identify additional 

health and safety implications, and determine the potential impact to stakeholders and local 

economies. They also identify ways to help managers restore landscapes after fires.

Scientist examines a post-fire debris flow. 

The USGS maintains a database of 

wildfire occurrences from throughout 

the U.S. to document fire history. 

Map shows fires in western Colorado 

between 2010 and 2018.

Before a Fire: 

During a Fire: 

After a Fire: 

The USGS collaborates with the U.S. Forest Service, the Joint Fire Science Program, 

NASA, NOAA, the U.S. Department of Defense, universities, other science 

organizations, and fire and land managers to produce information, data, and tools 

that are useful to communities, Tribes, States, and Federal agencies.

Left: Unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) with 

sensors hovers to monitor an active fire. 

Right: Landsat images before and after a 

wildfire. Reddish tones represent burned areas.

https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20193025