Wildfires in the USA and Australia have contrasting house loss–fatality ratios

Protection of human life and property is an accepted priority of wildfire management, yet there has been little consideration of how fire management strategies balance these two objectives. International comparisons present an important opportunity to explore differences in how human life or property are impacted by contrasting wildfire regimes and management responses. We analyse public data (1999–2020) on fatalities and property losses in Australia and the USA, two countries heavily affected by socially disastrous wildfires. The annual ratio between house losses and fatalities differs markedly between the two countries, with the USA experiencing a 2.5-fold higher rate of house loss per fatality than Australia. This difference potentially reflects contrasting wildfire adaptation strategies between these two countries: the USA approach relies on mass evacuations and fire suppression, whereas the Australian approach is centred on building design and reducing wildland fuel loads. Further international comparative research is required to understand how biophysical and management regimes influence the impacts of wildfire on human life and property.