IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/nathaz/v120y2024i5d10.1007_s11069-023-06367-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The geography of social vulnerability and wildfire occurrence (1984–2018) in the conterminous USA

Author

Listed:
  • Ronald L. Schumann

    (University of North Texas)

  • Christopher T. Emrich

    (University of Central Florida)

  • Van Butsic

    (University of California Berkeley)

  • Miranda H. Mockrin

    (USDA Forest Service)

  • Yao Zhou

    (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)

  • Cassandra Johnson Gaither

    (USDA Forest Service)

  • Owen Price

    (University of Wollongong)

  • Alexandra D. Syphard

    (Conservation Biology Institute)

  • Joshua Whittaker

    (University of Wollongong)

  • Sanam K. Aksha

    (University of Central Florida)

Abstract

Wildfire is increasing in frequency, extent, and severity in many parts of the USA. Considering the unequal burden of natural hazards on socially vulnerable populations, we ask here, how are characteristics of social vulnerability associated with wildfire occurrence nationwide, at different scales and across differing levels of wildland–urban interface development? To answer this question, we first identify all non-urban census tracts in the USA that have experienced a wildfire since 1984. Using 26 different measures of social vulnerability, we compare these tracts to non-urban census tracts that have not experienced a wildfire. In doing so, we identify notable social vulnerabilities in areas that have experienced wildfire, including higher unemployment, higher employment in extractive industries, higher percentage of people living in mobile homes, higher percentages of Native Americans, higher percentage of people with less than 12th grade education, and higher populations of people with special needs. Breaking our data into eight regions and comparing tracts with a high proportion of wildland–urban interface (WUI) to those with a low proportion of WUI, we find that these characteristics are generally consistent across regions of the USA and vary slightly between high WUI and low WUI tracts. Overall, we find a robust pattern of higher social vulnerability in areas with wildfire occurrence. Whereas previous studies about social vulnerability to wildfire focus on relationships with wildfire hazard potential or concentrate on a single region, this study fills a knowledge gap by examining the relationship between social vulnerability and wildfire occurrence nationwide.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronald L. Schumann & Christopher T. Emrich & Van Butsic & Miranda H. Mockrin & Yao Zhou & Cassandra Johnson Gaither & Owen Price & Alexandra D. Syphard & Joshua Whittaker & Sanam K. Aksha, 2024. "The geography of social vulnerability and wildfire occurrence (1984–2018) in the conterminous USA," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 120(5), pages 4297-4327, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:120:y:2024:i:5:d:10.1007_s11069-023-06367-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-023-06367-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11069-023-06367-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11069-023-06367-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Susan L. Cutter & Bryan J. Boruff & W. Lynn Shirley, 2003. "Social Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 84(2), pages 242-261, June.
    2. Shahir Masri & Erica Scaduto & Yufang Jin & Jun Wu, 2021. "Disproportionate Impacts of Wildfires among Elderly and Low-Income Communities in California from 2000–2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Ian P Davies & Ryan D Haugo & James C Robertson & Phillip S Levin, 2018. "The unequal vulnerability of communities of color to wildfire," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Ji Yun Lee & Fangjiao Ma & Yue Li, 2022. "Understanding homeowner proactive actions for managing wildfire risks," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 114(2), pages 1525-1547, November.
    5. David B. McWethy & Tania Schoennagel & Philip E. Higuera & Meg Krawchuk & Brian J. Harvey & Elizabeth C. Metcalf & Courtney Schultz & Carol Miller & Alexander L. Metcalf & Brian Buma & Arika Virapongs, 2019. "Rethinking resilience to wildfire," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(9), pages 797-804, September.
    6. Thibaut Duprey & Colin Jones & Callie Symmers & Geneviève Vallée, 2021. "Household financial vulnerabilities and physical climate risks," Staff Analytical Notes 2021-19, Bank of Canada.
    7. Gaither, Cassandra Johnson & Poudyal, Neelam C. & Goodrick, Scott & Bowker, J.M. & Malone, Sparkle & Gan, Jianbang, 2011. "Wildland fire risk and social vulnerability in the Southeastern United States: An exploratory spatial data analysis approach," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 24-36, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meldrum, James R. & Champ, Patricia A. & Brenkert-Smith, Hannah & Barth, Christopher M. & McConnell, Abby E. & Wagner, Carolyn & Donovan, Colleen, 2024. "Rethinking cost-share programs in consideration of economic equity: A case study of wildfire risk mitigation assistance for private landowners," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    2. Sungyoon Lee & Jennifer Dodge & Gang Chen, 2022. "The cost of social vulnerability: an integrative conceptual framework and model for assessing financial risks in natural disaster management," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 114(1), pages 691-712, October.
    3. Walton, Z.L. & Poudyal, N.C. & Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. & Johnson Gaither, C. & Boley, B.B., 2016. "Exploring the role of forest resources in reducing community vulnerability to the heat effects of climate change," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 94-102.
    4. Yi Peng, 2015. "Regional earthquake vulnerability assessment using a combination of MCDM methods," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 234(1), pages 95-110, November.
    5. Meryl Jagarnath & Tirusha Thambiran & Michael Gebreslasie, 2020. "Heat stress risk and vulnerability under climate change in Durban metropolitan, South Africa—identifying urban planning priorities for adaptation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(2), pages 807-829, November.
    6. Ashley C. Freeman & Walker S. Ashley, 2017. "Changes in the US hurricane disaster landscape: the relationship between risk and exposure," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 88(2), pages 659-682, September.
    7. Yongdeng Lei & Jing’ai Wang & Yaojie Yue & Hongjian Zhou & Weixia Yin, 2014. "Rethinking the relationships of vulnerability, resilience, and adaptation from a disaster risk perspective," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 70(1), pages 609-627, January.
    8. Pujun Liang & Wei Xu & Yunjia Ma & Xiujuan Zhao & Lianjie Qin, 2017. "Increase of Elderly Population in the Rainstorm Hazard Areas of China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Kamaldeen Mohammed & Evans Batung & Moses Kansanga & Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong & Isaac Luginaah, 2021. "Livelihood diversification strategies and resilience to climate change in semi-arid northern Ghana," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 1-23, February.
    10. R. Bryson Touchstone & Kathleen Sherman-Morris, 2016. "Vulnerability to prolonged cold: a case study of the Zeravshan Valley of Tajikistan," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 83(2), pages 1279-1300, September.
    11. Eric Tate, 2012. "Social vulnerability indices: a comparative assessment using uncertainty and sensitivity analysis," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 63(2), pages 325-347, September.
    12. Yi Gu & Jinyu Sun & Jianming Cai & Yanwen Xie & Jiahao Guo, 2024. "Urban Planning Perspective on Food Resilience Assessment and Practice in the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-27, October.
    13. Xiao‐Bing Hu & Hang Li & XiaoMei Guo & Pieter H. A. J. M. van Gelder & Peijun Shi, 2019. "Spatial Vulnerability of Network Systems under Spatially Local Hazards," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(1), pages 162-179, January.
    14. Cailin Wang & Jidong Wu & Xin He & Mengqi Ye & Wenhui Liu & Rumei Tang, 2018. "Emerging Trends and New Developments in Disaster Research after the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-19, December.
    15. Rio Yonson & Ilan Noy & JC Gaillard, 2018. "The measurement of disaster risk: An example from tropical cyclones in the Philippines," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 736-765, May.
    16. Yi Ge & Guangfei Yang & Yi Chen & Wen Dou, 2019. "Examining Social Vulnerability and Inequality: A Joint Analysis through a Connectivity Lens in the Urban Agglomerations of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, February.
    17. Muhammad Suhail Rizwan & Asifa Obaid & Dawood Ashraf, 2017. "The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Default Risk: Empirical evidence from US Firms," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 9(3), pages 36-70, September.
    18. N. Zhang & H. Huang, 2018. "Assessment of world disaster severity processed by Gaussian blur based on large historical data: casualties as an evaluating indicator," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 92(1), pages 173-187, May.
    19. Abdollahzadeh, Gholamhossein & Sharifzadeh, Mohammad Sharif & Sklenička, Petr & Azadi, Hossein, 2023. "Adaptive capacity of farming systems to climate change in Iran: Application of composite index approach," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    20. Irina Tumini & Paula Villagra-Islas & Geraldine Herrmann-Lunecke, 2017. "Evaluating reconstruction effects on urban resilience: a comparison between two Chilean tsunami-prone cities," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 85(3), pages 1363-1392, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:120:y:2024:i:5:d:10.1007_s11069-023-06367-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.