BOISE — Building codes and firefighter training should change to reflect widespread population increases in wildfire risk areas, experts said April 18.

One-third of the U.S. population lives in the wildland-urban interface, “yet most of them have little or no idea what the interface is or the danger that it poses,” said Lori Moore-Merrell, who leads the U.S. Fire Administration. Meanwhile, fires driven by climate change or drought are growing in size, intensity and destructiveness.

The threat of catastrophic wildfire in the interface “demands national attention and a unified approach to wildfire mitigation and management,” she said at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. “Today’s approach does not match the scale of this issue.”

Resilient landscapes, fire-adapted communities, effective response capabilities, and technology and models that help detect fire early are priorities in a cohesive national strategy, Moore-Merrell said.

Every state faces the threat of fire in the interface; the Blue Hills Reservation forest outside Boston in May 2022 had wildfires three consecutive weeks, and structural firefighters responded, said Pat Morrison of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Most municipalities’ firefighters lack adequate training and equipment to operate efficiently and safely in the wildland-urban interface, “however, proper, safe operations practices can easily be taught,” he said.

More than 46 million U.S. residences in the interface are at risk, and more than 26,000 structures — including 15,000 homes — have been destroyed by wildfire in the past three years, said Steve Kerber, Fire Safety Research Institute vice president.

And fire moves faster compared to decades ago thanks to synthetic materials in furnishings and on surfaces, he said.

Outside, reducing, removing or relocating fire fuels can reduce risk, as can using roof coverings, vents and fencing designed to lessen ember effects, Kerber said.

“As a national community, we must work to minimize displacement and expedite rebuilding fire-resistant structures using proper building codes specifically for the fire-prone interface area,” said Donna Black, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Applying science and technology through mandated codes and standards that are enforced has been most effective in the built environment, said Michele Steinberg, wildfire director for the National Fire Protection Association. Too often, buildings and homes destroyed by wildfire are rebuilt in the same places and to the same standards.

Though codes often are adopted locally, the federal government can help in research and development, officials said.

Boise has adopted a wildland-urban interface code designed to limit growth and promote better construction of homes most at-risk, Fire Chief Mark Niemeyer said.

The department interacts regularly with homeowner groups and various federal, state and local partners including other local fire departments, he said. Community members also need to stay active and involved.

Data are analyzed to improve response times, Niemeyer said.

“Understanding the growth that we’ve had in Idaho and the development in the wildland-urban interface is always going to be a challenge that we have to be prepared for,” said Brad Richy, director of the Idaho Office of Emergency Management, part of the state Military Division. Partnerships and coordination strategies established well in advance are critical.