Abstract:
Large wildfires disrupt the lives of families, workers, and employers. However, fire suppression and
recovery efforts may provide economic opportunities. Understanding the impacts of large fires can
help fire managers, policy makers, and community leaders plan for the challenges and opportunities
of wildfires. Unlike with other natural hazards, there has been little research about how wildfires affect
local economies. The purpose of this Joint Fire Science Program-funded project was to analyze the
effects of large fires on labor markets and how fire suppression spending may mediate these effects.