The 2023 Wildfire Hazard Potential dataset quantifies the relative potential for high-intensity wildfire across the conterminous United States and Alaska. It was created by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station using LANDFIRE 2020 vegetation data and fire simulation modeling. The data reflects landscape conditions as of the end of 2020 and is presented at a 270-meter resolution.
Use Cases
- Prioritizing fuel treatment locations based on the wildfire hazard potential index.
- Assessing relative wildfire risk to specific assets by pairing the WHP map with spatial data on structures or powerlines.
- Supporting long-term strategic fuels management planning based on modeled annual burn probability and fire intensity.
Strengths
- Updated version incorporating LANDFIRE 2020 vegetation and fuels data.
- Provides data at a 270-meter resolution for the entire conterminous United States.
- Includes both continuous integer values and five classified hazard classes.
Limitations
- Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
- The dataset does not include current or forecasted weather conditions, limiting its use for seasonal wildfire outlooks.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
- Collection Method
- Generated using the large fire simulation system (FSim) with LANDFIRE 2020 vegetation and fuels data.
- Time Range
- Reflects landscape conditions as of the end of 2020.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-05-22 03:10:42; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Conterminous United States and Alaska.