Policymakers and planners must analyze potential impacts from wildfires and identify policies that will help protect people and property.
Good policy requires good information, and that’s where Pyregence comes in. Our scientists are developing models to simulate extreme wildfires in the state through the end of the century.

Computer models can’t predict the future. What they can do is use the best available data to project a range of possible futures that might become reality, depending on the way the climate changes, the choices we make, and the policies enacted by our governments.

Compared to earlier efforts, Pyregence’s next-generation models incorporate more detailed data on climate and weather, including previously unavailable variables such as wind speed, wind direction, and relative humidity. They also feature higher-resolution inputs and outputs related to fire risk and severity (including smoke-related illness), as well as improved data on landscape changes from development, fire, timber harvesting, and fuel management.

These innovations will lead to more accurate projections of long-term wildfire risk and promote effective policy, planning, and risk mitigation. Pyregence is ensuring that government officials have the tools they need to create climate-smart policy.