A wildfire risk oriented GIS tool for mapping Rural-Urban Interfaces

The Rural-Urban Interfaces (RUI, synonym of WUI, Wildland-Urban Interface) are conceptually defined as areas where houses and burnable vegetation are in contact or intermingled. Raising concerns related to wildfire occurrence in the RUI areas of Europe have been recognized. In this paper we describe a methodology, implemented in an easy-to-use tool, which gives a fire risk oriented RUI definition and which is capable of mapping such surfaces. The tool, called RUImap, contains three mapping options and, using easily obtainable input data, offers the possibility to customize most of the parameters used in the mapping process. RUImap has been tested in Sardinia (Italy), the second largest island of the Mediterranean Basin. The methodology and the tool can help to overcome difficulties of most of the users to go from the theoretical RUI definition to data and statistics on these areas.