Wildfire risk products: Technical review for Pacific Northwest professionals

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As the use of risk products has grown, so has confusion and controversy about how they work, their strengths and limitations, and the distinction between wildfire risk and wildfire hazard. Wildfire risk products vary widely in their design, purpose, and technical details. They may use different definitions of risk, values, data sources, fire metrics and models. This diversity means that risk assessments for the same location can vary by design. This variability does not necessarily indicate that the products are flawed or inaccurate. Rather, it reflects that wildfire risk analysis is a diverse field with evolving techniques that serve different users and applications. As this comparative review shows, there is no universal formula for assessing wildfire risk. For potential users of wildfire risk products, the strength in understanding diverse approaches lies not in direct comparison but in recognizing the unique contributions each makes. It also means that users need to invest time into selecting the right risk product(s) for their specific application.