A tridimensional framework for governance in the wildland-urban interface using Pyro-Socio-Ecological Zones.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Wildfire risk is increasing at urban-wildland interfaces.
• Existing methods often overlook diverse socioeconomic, governance, and ecological factors.
• These interfaces are critical zones of human-nature interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and map a novel tri-dimensional Pyro-Socio-Ecological Zone (PSEZ) framework.
• To analyze wildfire patterns in relation to ecological, socioeconomic, and governance contexts.
• To compare wildfire dynamics in southern Italy and southern California.

Main Methods:

• Developed a PSEZ framework using composite indicators.
• Mapped PSEZs across southern Italy and southern California.
• Analyzed the relationship between PSEZ characteristics and wildfire occurrence/severity.

Main Results:

• In California, higher governance levels correlated with fewer wildfires.
• In Italy, low governance areas had fewer wildfires but larger burned areas; high governance areas had more wildfires but smaller burned areas.
• Significant differences in PSEZ distribution and wildfire governance implications were observed between Italy and California.

Conclusions:

• Wildfire governance impacts vary significantly by geographic and socioeconomic context.
• The PSEZ framework provides a nuanced understanding of complex socio-ecological interactions.
• Caution is advised when applying methods developed in one region to fire-prone landscapes in different geographies.