SECTION 4: RISK ASSESSMENT
The WildfireSAFE platform was created through the United States Forest Service and pulls directly from the Wildland Fire Assessment System. The severe fire danger index for March 30 th , 2024 is shown in Figure 4.29 along with current fire incidents. The severe fire weather potential forecast for Wake County at this time was mostly “low” with a small section in the southeast being rated as “moderate.” Figure 4.29 – Severe Fire Danger Index, March 2024
Source: USFS WildfireSAFE
Warning Time: 4 – Less than 6 hours
Duration: 3 – Less than 1 week LOCATION
The location of wildfire risk can be defined by the acreage of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). The WUI is described as the area where structures and other human improvements meet and intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels, and thus demarcates the spatial extent of wildfire risk. The WUI is essentially all the land in the county that is not heavily urbanized. The Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment (SWRA) estimates that 96 percent of the Wake County population lives within the WUI. The expansion of residential development from urban centers out into rural landscapes increases the potential for wildland fire threat to public safety and the potential for damage to forest resources and dependent industries. Population growth within the WUI substantially increases the risk of wildfire. Table 4.123 details the extent of the WUI in Wake County, and Figure 4.30 maps the WUI.
Wake County, NC Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan
WSP June 2024 Page 231
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