Emerging Issues in the South

Economics of Fire Damage and Suppression
The health and competitiveness of Southern forests is being impacted by changing local and global markets, invasive species, shifting consumer demands, and declining economic viability of the private forest landowner. There are ways to both promote the conservation ethic, manage forests for a multitude of resources (traditional and nontraditional), and provide economic gains to the landowner.

Program Overview

Fire plays a critical role in Southern forest ecosystems and forest managers have long used fire as a management tool. However, as urbanization plays out across the Southern landscape, the opportunities to manage fire diminish while the potential costs of wildfire increase dramatically.

Research is needed to help guide management strategies in this changing forest-human environment. The Station’s research program builds from ongoing fire economics research within the Economics and Policy research work unit in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

Program Performance

Research performed over the past several years addresses vegetation management, specifically prescribed burning, other activities to prevent wildfire, and the economic effects of wildfire impacts.

Program Highlights

Research includes the first attempt to examine the economic impacts of alternative rates of prescribed burning across a landscape. A key finding dealt with the need to account for the size of wildfires as well as the intensity. Reducing wildfire intensity through the use of prescribed fire is an important benefit, as is reducing the occurrence of wildfire through prescribed burning.

Research Potential

Research is necessary in several key areas to continue advancing effective fire management strategies. Continued research would allow scientists to provide answers concerning cost-effective pre-suppression activities (e.g. vegetation management), as well as reducing the occurrence and intensity of wildfires. This research could perhaps guide cost-efficient wildfire policy, based on reliable, accurate, and relevant cost data. Station researchers would continue working to:

• Identify the full economic consequences of wildfire in the South
• Evaluate the costs and benefits of fuel treatments
• Understand the patterns and causes as well as management strategies for human-caused fires
• Understand integrated fire management treatments
• Examine the demand for and availability of fuels management services in the South

Research Needs

Identify the full economic consequences of wildfire in the South
A full accounting of the costs of wildfires on local economies requires measures of the effects on timber, tourism, and real estate markets but also a measure of the impact on human health. Managers and state/federal policy makers need these measures to know what values are at risk from wildfire. Station research examined how local economies were impacted by the Florida fires of 1998. Additional work is needed to extend the analysis across the region.


Evaluate the costs and benefits of fuel treatments
Wildfire damages in Southern forests and wildland-urban interface areas can be mitigated by applying either mechanical or prescribed burning treatments to reduce fuel loads. Initial research has identified substantial returns to treatment programs in Florida. Better information can guide forest managers toward the best management strategies for avoiding damages to forests, human life, and personal property.


Understand the patterns and causes as well as management strategies for human-caused fires
Humans cause the majority of wildfires in the Southern U.S., but little research has been done to fully appreciate the factors affecting rates, locations, and timing of these fires. Station research has begun to identify social and spatial patterns of arson fires in Florida and Southern California and to identify law enforcement strategies.


Understand integrated fire management treatment
The costs of wildfire and returns to forest management are influenced not only by fuel treatments, but also by fire prevention, education programs, and law enforcement. Better information on the effectiveness of these programs will allow state and federal management agencies to design the programs that best addresses their objectives.


Examine the demand for and availability of fuels management services in the South
As governments and private landowners increase their demands for fuels treatments to meet goals of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, the costs of services are likely to rise. Researchers need to understand by how much.

















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Maintaining healthy Southern forests requires an understanding of changing market conditions, rapidly evolving forest threats, and the socio-economic aspects associated with landowner decision making. Incentives and new markets for ecosystem services and biomass are encouraged to support keeping forest lands in working forests, thus preventing fragmentation and loss of habitat. The capacity of States to deliver training, science, and assistance to landowners is essential for success.






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