Temporal and geographical analyses of Maryland wildfires

Abstract

Wildfire hazard is becoming a serious issue, especially in the United States. Wildfires threaten and damage ecosystems and human communities, resulting in deaths, injuries, losses of habitat, wildlife, and natural resources, and causing millions to billions of dollars in annual damages. Many studies have pointed out regions under high risk of wildfires, which raises the question of whether wildfires are occurring in areas that previously experienced limited numbers of these events. This research investigates the nature of wildlife hazard in the state of Maryland, where wildfires are not as common and pose less risk to people and property than in other parts of the United States. Different analyses are included to determine changes of wildfire variables and their relations to population changes in the state. The research also points out differences between Western Maryland, Central Maryland, Eastern Maryland, Southern Maryland, and between rural and urban areas.