Development of a Multi-Hazard Landscape for Exposure and Risk Interpretation: The PRISM Approach.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Risk Assessment
• Geospatial Analysis

Background:

• Traditional multi-hazard risk assessments focus on small scales, limiting broader applicability.
• Existing methods struggle with diverse hazard types and large geographical areas.
• Monetary loss calculations can bias risk assessments in urbanized regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel approach for multi-hazard risk assessment applicable to larger scales.
• To integrate multiple hazard types and land-use impacts into a unified risk index.
• To inform community-level decision-making for disaster mitigation and resilience.

Main Methods:

• Developed a risk index by coalescing multiple hazards and losses.
• Assessed exposures as a proportion of land area for combined hazard calculations.
• Weighted risk calculations by land-use types (built, dual-benefit, natural) at the county level.

Main Results:

• Identified a risk landscape with high exposure to natural systems.
• The western United States shows a significant concentration of multi-hazard risk.
• Analysis revealed dynamic risk-scapes influenced by land-use and temporal factors.

Conclusions:

• The developed method provides a more detailed analysis of land impacts, reducing urban bias.
• The risk index offers a dynamic view of multi-hazard exposures over time and space.
• This approach supports informed community decisions tailored to local hazard profiles.