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

Abstract

Zones where urban land covers meet wildland areas have become a critical point of interaction between human settlements and natural ecosystems at risk of wildfire. These zones span diverse socioeconomic, governance, and ecological dimensions that are often not accounted for with frequently used methodologies. We developed and mapped a tri-dimensional Pyro-Socio-Ecological Zone (PSEZ) framework based on a suite of composite indicators that account for disparate Ecological, Socioeconomic, and Governance contexts in southern Italy (IT) and southern California (CA), USA. In CA, PSEZ with high governance consistently present a lower number of wildfires compared to PSEZ with low governance values. In IT, PSEZ with low governance indicate a lower number of wildfires and more burned area while PSEZ with high governance levels had more wildfires and less burned area. Overall, we found that the distribution of PSEZs and wildfire governance implications differed between CA and IT, underscoring greater spatial fragmentation, disparate contexts, and complex socio-ecological interactions in these peri-urban areas. Findings highlight that care is warranted when applying USA derived methods and concepts to fire-prone, landscapes in different geographies and contexts.