Wildfire Hazard Potential for the United States and Alaska, 2023

A 2023 wildfire hazard potential index for the United States and Alaska, produced by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. The dataset quantifies the relative potential for high-intensity wildfire using updated national hazard datasets and LANDFIRE 2020 vegetation and fuels data. It is presented as continuous integer values and five hazard classes at a 270-meter resolution.

Use Cases

• Prioritizing fuel treatment locations based on the relative wildfire hazard potential index.
• Assessing relative wildfire risk to specific resources and assets by pairing the hazard potential with spatial data on structures or powerlines.
• Supporting long-term strategic planning for wildfire management based on landscape conditions as of 2020.

Strengths

• Updated version incorporating wildfire hazard datasets from 1992-2020 and LANDFIRE 2020 vegetation and fuels.
• Provides data at a 270-meter resolution for the conterminous United States.
• Offers outputs in both continuous integer values and five distinct hazard classes.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• The data reflect landscape conditions as of the end of 2020, not current conditions.
• The index does not include current or forecasted weather or fuel moisture conditions, limiting its use for seasonal forecasting.

Provenance

Source

U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Collection Method

Created using the large fire simulation system (FSim) with LANDFIRE 2020 vegetation and fuels data and updated point locations of fire occurrence.

Time Range

Model inputs reflect conditions as of the end of 2020; fire occurrence data spans approximately 1992-2020.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-22 03:10:40; freshness should be verified.

Geography

United States and Alaska.