Assessing the Effectiveness of Green Landscape Buffers to Reduce Fire Severity and Limit Fire Spread in California: Case Study of Golf Courses

Communities looking to improve fire protection may consider incorporating landscape features that ‘buffer’ the effects of a between developed and undeveloped lands. While landscapes such as golf courses, vineyards, or agriculture are already being considered part this buffer zone, few empirical studies demonstrate causally how well these different operate buffer. This research selects courses an example possible proposes methods test if alters severity limits spread. Using propensity score matching multiple linear regression, we burned in California 1986 2020 had predicted 49% reduction relative otherwise similar vegetated land. is regionally dependent, with effect course buffering most pronounced North Bay region. For limiting spread, function similarly hardscaped land uses airports, suggesting irrigation vegetation management can be effective creating desired qualities. These suggest artificially created irrigated green zones act buffers, providing de facto fuel breaks around communities, reproduced for other potential features. study does not advocate use any specific anthropogenic feature, but rather highlights community-based hazard goals could attained through considering beyond manipulations.