Cost-Benefit Analysis of Fire-Resilient Home Retrofitting

Authors

  • Jackson Weeber Thompson Rivers University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/bcelnfe772

Keywords:

wildfire resilience, home retrofitting, cost-benefit analysis, wildland–urban interface, FireSmart mitigation, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, wildfire economics

Author Biography

Jackson Weeber, Thompson Rivers University

Jackson Weeber is a second-year Bachelor of Tourism Management student at Thompson Rivers University, minoring in environmental economics and sustainable development. He is passionate about community economic development, and the role tourism plays in supporting resilient, sustainable communities, particularly in rural and resource-dependent regions. 

Being a lifelong British Columbia resident, Jackson has witnessed the devastating impacts of wildfires on communities. His work emphasizes the importance of proactive climate adaptation measures, including wildfire-resilient retrofitting, to strengthen community resilience and reduce long-term economic and social costs as wildfire frequency and severity continue to increase.

References

Barrett, K., & Quarles, S. L. (2024). Retrofitting homes: Cost of mitigation strategies for improved wildfire resistance. Fire and Materials. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/fam.3261

FireSmart BC. (2024). Wildfire development permit areas. https://firesmartbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024.10.02_FSBC_Wildfire_DPA_Guidance.pdf

Global Wildfire Information System. (2025). GWIS annual statistics for Canada. https://gwis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/apps/gwis.statistics/estimates

Headwaters Economics. (2024). Retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance. https://headwaterseconomics.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Wildfire_Retrofit_Report_R5.pdf

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. (2021). An impact analysis for the National Guide for Wildland-Urban Interface fires. https://www.iclr.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ICLR-SPA-Risk-Impact-Analysis-for-the-National-WUI-Fire-Guide-2021.pdf

Natural Resources Canada. (2025). Impacts of climate change on forests. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/climate-change/climate-change-impacts-forests/impacts-climate-change-forests

Quiroz, K. & Thomas, W.. (2025, October 3). How wildfires disrupt Canada’s economy: Trade & infrastructure impacts. Export Development Canada. https://www.edc.ca/en/article/2025-wildfires-impact-canadian-trade.html?utm

Syphard, A. D., & Keeley, J. E. (2019). Factors associated with structure loss in the 2013–2018 California wildfires. Fire, 2(3), 49. https://doi.org/10.3390/fire2030049

Westhaver, A. (2017, March). Why some homes survived: Learning from the Fort McMurray wildland/urban interface fire disaster. Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. https://www.iclr.org/wp-content/uploads/PDFS/why-some-homes-survived-learning-from-the-fort-mcmurray-wildland-urban-interface-fire-disaster.pdf?utm

Cover image with title: Perspectives on the economics of Climate Change. Special Issue, March 2026, Online ISSN: 2819-7046. Background image taken by Peter Tsigaris of the University of Auckland campus.

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Published

2026-03-17

How to Cite

Weeber, J. (2026). Cost-Benefit Analysis of Fire-Resilient Home Retrofitting. Future Earth: A Student Journal on Sustainability and Environment. https://doi.org/10.29173/bcelnfe772

Issue

2026: Special Issue: Perspectives on the Economics of Climate Change

Section

Commentaries and Opinions

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Future Earth: A Student Journal on Sustainability and Environment

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