# FIRE-WUI: RECAP: A Novel Framework for Smoke-Aware Prescribed Fire Planning in the Wildland-Urban Interface

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Iowa State University (IA) · $772,320

## Abstract

Wildfires in the United States are becoming increasingly destructive, threatening public health, infrastructures, and human lives, especially in areas where communities border wildlands, known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Although prescribed fires (controlled burns) are among the most effective tools for reducing wildfire risk, they remain underused in the WUI due to liability concerns, smoke-related opposition, and logistical barriers. This project addresses a critical challenge: how to design prescribed fire strategies that are both effective and socially acceptable in vulnerable communities. The research team will work directly with local residents, fire managers, and practitioners to develop community-centered planning approaches that reflect real-world needs and constraints. The broader impacts of this project include advancing science-based tools for wildfire mitigation, supporting public dialogue on the trade-offs of prescribed fire, and enhancing STEM education and workforce development in Iowa, an EPSCoR designated state.

The project includes four integrated components: (1) a large-scale public perception survey to understand how WUI communities in the Western and Southeastern U.S. perceive prescribed fires and smoke; (2) a statistical wildfire risk model that accounts for uncertainty in fire intensity and spread; (3) a fast-computing, physics-informed smoke propagation model that quantifies uncertainty under varying environmental conditions; and (4) a f

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2536623
- **Awardee organization:** Iowa State University (IA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** DQDBM7FGJPC5
- **PI:** Esther Jose
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** FIRE-Wildland Fire, INTERDISCIPLINARY PROPOSALS, EXP PROG TO STIM COMP RES
- **Estimated total:** $772,320
- **Funds obligated:** $772,320
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 09/01/2025 → 08/31/2028

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2536623

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2536623, FIRE-WUI: RECAP: A Novel Framework for Smoke-Aware Prescribed Fire Planning in the Wildland-Urban Interface. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-06 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2536623. Licensed CC0.

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