Exploring the potential role of built environments in wildlife conservation during wildfires

Abstract As the frequency and severity of wildfires continue to rise, fire refugia could play a critical role in reducing impacts on affected wildlife species. Fire refugia are areas which are naturally less likely to burn, for example, due to local climatic conditions. Yet, they may also exist outside of areas traditionally considered as refugia, such as areas close to human infrastructure, where active fire management strategies prioritize the safety of humans and their assets. We hypothesized that wildlife habitat within or in proximity to human infrastructure could function as fire refugia, and tested this for Endangered koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus ). We used fire extent and severity mapping of New South Wales, Australia, to investigate the relationship between land use and the likelihood of severe to extreme fire at locations where koalas had been recorded in the preceding 15 years. Our findings show that the likelihood of severe to extreme fire occurrence was lower in areas with intensive human use (residential, utilities and services, transport, industry and manufacturing, intensive farming, and infrastructure), and increased outwards from these areas. Our results support the notion that remaining koala habitat in urban and peri‐urban landscapes could play a vital role as fire refugia in the face of climate change. We argue that populations of at‐risk species inhabiting these areas should be targeted for increased protection and management, while emphasizing the continued importance of protecting remaining natural habitats.