Are We Ready? Evaluating Evacuation Preparedness, Behavior, and Vulnerability During Wildfires in Washington

Term Start:

July 1, 2025

Term End:

May 31, 2026

Budget:

$65,000

Keywords:

Community Vulnerability Analysis, Risk Perception Profiles, Wildfire Evacuation Behavior

Thrust Area(s):

Data Modeling and Analytic Tools, Understanding User Needs

University Lead:

University of Washington

Researcher(s):

Lingzi Wu

As wildfires intensify across the western United States, communities in the wildland-urban interface face growing risks to life, infrastructure, and mobility. Wildfire evacuations, often occurring under rapidly changing conditions with limited warning, require coordinated responses informed by real-world human behavior. However, current evacuation planning models often rely on assumptions that do not reflect the variability in household preparedness, perceived risk, and decision-making under stress. This project investigates evacuation preparedness, perception, and behavior during wildfire events in Washington State. Through a structured survey, we will collect data on residents’ awareness of wildfire threats, their evacuation readiness, decision-making under hypothetical scenarios, and information preferences. The results will be analyzed to identify behavioral profiles and integrated with spatial data to assess how wildfire risk intersects with infrastructure resilience and community vulnerability. This research fills a critical gap by prioritizing the human dimension of emergency response. Outcomes will inform data-driven evacuation planning, community outreach strategies, and efficient investment in emergency infrastructure.

Project scope

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