New research shows that prescribed burns and other fuel reduction efforts by the U.S. Forest Service deliver strong economic returns by limiting wildfire damage. The study, published in the journal Science, analyzed hundreds of fires in the Western United States. It found that every dollar spent avoided nearly four dollars in health, property, and emissions costs.
The analysis examined 285 wildfires across 11 Western states from 2017 to 2023. Treatments reduced the total area burned by 36 percent and cut moderate to high severity burns by 26 percent. Researchers estimated savings of $1.39 billion in smoke-related health and productivity losses, $895 million in structural damage, and $503 million in carbon emissions. Larger projects covering more than 2,400 acres proved most cost effective.