Table 4.

Summary of wildland fire for different regions in the U.S.

Region*	Typical fire season	Wildfire characteristics	Role of wildland-urban interface (WUI)	Management actions
Alaska	May–Jun	Mostly lightning-caused; high interannual variability in fire depending on dry weather; largest fires >100,000 ha.	WUI is usually not important.	Although most wildfires are suppressed, it is difficult to limit fire spread in remote landscapes; prescribed burning is rarely used.
Western contiguous states, minus California and Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico)	Jun–Sep	Mostly lightning-caused in mountains; high fuel loadings in many dry forests can facilitate intense fires; largest fires may be 1,000 km2.	WUI expanding in many areas, resulting in human ignitions and challenges for fire suppression.	Most wildfires are suppressed when small; emphasis on WUI protection; prescribed burning is used in dry conifer forests.
California	Oct–Nov** Jun–Sep	Many lightning-caused in Sierra Nevada, mostly human-caused elsewhere; high fuel loadings in many dry forests can facilitate intense fires; largest fires >100,000 ha.	WUI is pervasive in most areas, resulting in human ignitions and challenges for fire suppression.	Most wildfires are suppressed when small except for those caused by Diablo and Santa Ana winds; emphasis on WUI protection; prescribed burning is used in dry conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada.
Southwest (Arizona and New Mexico)	May–Jun	Combination of lightning- and human-caused; fires often driven by interannual variation in fuel production (e.g., grasses); largest fires >100,000 ha.	WUI is important mostly for smaller communities near mountains.	Most wildfires are suppressed when small; prescribed burning is used in dry conifer forests.
Great Plains	Apr–Jul	Mostly human-caused, some lightning-caused; largest fires are rarely >10,000 ha.	WUI is sometimes important.	All wildfires are suppressed; prescribed fire and livestock grazing are used in some areas to reduce grass fuels.
Midwest and Northeast	Apr–Jun	Mostly human-caused; dependent on dry spring weather; fires are small.	WUI is very important due to high population density.	All wildfires are suppressed; prescribed fire is sometimes used on small areas of hardwood and pine forests.
Southeast	Feb.–Sep	Mostly human-caused, some lightning-caused; largest fires are rarely >10,000 ha.	WUI is increasingly important as population expands.	All wildfires are suppressed; prescribed fire is extensively and routinely used in pine forests.