Towards an integrated approach to wildfire risk assessment: When, where, what and how may the landscapes burn

This paper reviews past efforts to estimate fire risk conditions in various parts of the world, including operational systems in place, and exemplifies risk assessment methods and integration approaches by presenting results from the European project FirEUrisk, which aims to develop an integrated management strategy for wildfires in Europe.

Despite the complexity of taking into account all relevant dimensions of wildfire risk, this paper stresses the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach to wildfire risk assessment, which considers not just the main variables associated to danger (ignition and propagation), but also exposure and vulnerability (including human and ecological values). A further integration should also consider how risk assessment is related to reduction and adaptation, as well as the cascading effects that wildfire brings along with other natural hazards.