Wildfire Research Center
Wildfire Research Center (WiRē) is a Colorado-based nonprofit that partners with fire protection districts, wildfire councils, and federal agencies to collect paired parcel-level wildfire risk assessments and household surveys, producing evidence-based community wildfire adaptation programs across nine U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNiwot, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Wildfire Research Center does
Wildfire Research Center (WiRē Center) is a U.S. nonprofit organization, headquartered in Niwot, Colorado, that partners with wildfire practitioners to collect paired parcel-level wildfire risk and social data in wildland-urban interface communities. Founded in 2014 and formalizing into a staffed organization in 2022, WiRē serves local wildfire councils, fire protection districts, city fire departments, state forest services, and federal land management agencies (USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, USGS) across nine western states plus North Carolina. The organization operates through a research-practice partnership model in which embedded researchers from the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station and the University of Colorado Boulder's Institute of Behavioral Science work alongside practitioners.
The WiRē Approach combines two core data collection instruments: the WiRē Rapid Wildfire Risk Assessment (WiRē RA), a 13-attribute roadside assessment covering building materials, near-home fuels, background fuels, topography, and property access; and a standardized household survey capturing resident perceptions of wildfire risk, mitigation behaviors, and incentive responses. These two streams are paired at the parcel level and analyzed together, then visualized through parcel-level maps, ArcGIS Online Risk Assessment geodatabases, Risk Assessment Summaries, Household Survey Summaries, and comparison documents. Supporting deliverables include training materials, tailored outreach products (mailers, handouts, postcards), Community Reports published through the U.S. Forest Service, and project presentations. Across 33 partner projects and 68 fire-prone communities, WiRē has accumulated 31,735 parcel-level assessments and 9,632 social surveys.
The business model is nonprofit grant funding, with no commercial pricing. Revenue flows primarily through cooperative agreements with the USDA Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, supplemented by National Science Foundation grants for specific research projects (notably a 2018-2021 behavioral-nudges study). WiRē maintains an active Community of Practice connecting partners through quarterly virtual meetings and annual in-person workshops, and runs a Partner of the Year recognition program. The organization has been recognized with the 2024 CO-LABS Governor's Awards for High Impact Research: Pathfinding Partnerships Award and the 2025 USDA Economists Group Fred Woods Award for Excellence in Public Policy Research and Education.
Wildfire Research Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wildfire Research Center
- Legal name
- WiRē – Wildfire Research Center
- Website
- https://wildfireresearchcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Wildfire Research Center (WiRē) is a Colorado-based nonprofit that partners with fire protection districts, wildfire councils, and federal agencies to collect paired parcel-level wildfire risk assessments and household surveys, producing evidence-based community wildfire adaptation programs across nine U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wildfire Research Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wildfire Risk Research and Community Adaptation Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forest Health Surveys & Risk Assessment (Tree Hazard, Mortality) (AFAMAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services (IMAMAJAG)
Keywords
Where Wildfire Research Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Niwot
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wildfire Research Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Federal Government Grants and Agreements: The work of the WiRē Center is made possible through support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. The organization also receives funding from the National Science Foundation for specific research projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Wildfire Research Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wildfire Research Center delivers a research-practice partnership service (the WiRē Approach) in which its staff conduct rapid parcel-level physical wildfire risk assessments and administer standardized household surveys within wildland-urban interface communities, then co-produce tailored outreach products, community reports, and datasets with partner fire organizations. The two foundational methods are the WiRē RA (13 roadside-observable attributes covering building materials, fuels, topography, and access) and the WiRē Household Survey (social data on resident risk perceptions, mitigation behaviors, and incentive responses), paired parcel-by-parcel for comparative analysis.
Product overview
The WiRē Center offers a unified research-practice approach called the WiRē Approach, which consists of two core products: the WiRē Rapid Wildfire Risk Assessment (WiRē RA) for parcel-level physical risk evaluation, and the WiRē Household Survey for collecting social data on resident perceptions and behaviors. These core offerings are supported by a suite of data products including Risk Assessment Summaries, Parcel Level Maps, Household Survey Summaries, Paired Data Comparisons, and ArcGIS Online Risk Assessment Maps. The portfolio also includes tailored outreach products, community reports published through the U.S. Forest Service, and presentation services for various community audiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- WiRē Rapid Wildfire Risk Assessment (WiRē RA) A parcel-level wildfire risk assessment tool consisting of 13 attributes related to building materials, fuels near the home, background fuels and topography, and access to the property; designed for wildfire professionals to quickly assess properties from the roadside and delivered to fire protection districts, wildfire councils, and natural resource agencies.
- WiRē Household Survey A standardized survey instrument collecting social data on resident perceptions of wildfire risk, mitigation behaviors, incentive responses, communication preferences, and preparedness activities; administered by WiRē partner communities to households corresponding to assessed parcels and analyzed to support tailored community outreach.
- WiRē Approach Research-Practice Partnership An end-to-end research-practice partnership service for wildfire organizations in which WiRē staff co-design projects with partners, deliver paired parcel-level risk assessments and household surveys, perform analysis, and produce tailored outreach products, community reports, and presentations for the partner community.
- Risk Assessment Training Materials and Data Collection Tool Training materials including the WiRē RA Scoring Guide and Assessor Reference Guide provided to community partners to enable them to conduct parcel-level wildfire risk data collection from the roadside during WiRē projects.
- Tailored Outreach Products Custom communication products co-designed with community partners, including two-page resident mailers, policymaker handouts, websites, and postcards built from project-specific WiRē assessment and survey data.
Quantifiable outcome
- Helping double or triple community participation in mitigation actions through improved outreach and behavioral insights
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wildfire Research Center
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wildfire Research Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Wildfire Research Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Community of Practice PartnerscoreNetwork of WiRē partners across the country participating in quarterly meetings and annual workshops to share technical information and perspectives on wildfire mitigation. 19 partners attended 2023 Denver workshop.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest ServicecorePrimary federal partner providing sustained investment in WiRē's mission. Includes Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists embedded in the WiRē team, contributing expertise in wildfire economics and human dimensions research.
- Bureau of Land ManagementcoreFederal agency providing continued investment in WiRē's mission, particularly for wildfire education and community adaptation programs.
- University of Colorado BouldercoreAcademic partner through the Institute of Behavioral Science. Provides research faculty including Hannah Brenkert-Smith and hosts postdoctoral researchers. Supports Community Outreach and Engagement Programs for data collection.
- Colorado State Forest ServicemajorState agency partner with multiple field offices (Alamosa, Salida) conducting WiRē projects and supporting on-the-ground implementation. Partner of the Year awards received.
- West Region Wildfire CouncilmajorCollaborative interagency organization promoting wildfire preparedness across six Colorado counties. Lilia Falk serves as Director and Board member. Former recipient of Wildfire Mitigation Innovation Award.
- Wildfire Adapted Partnership (formerly FireWise of Southwest Colorado)majorFormer partner organization now operating as Wildfire Adapted Partnership. Conducted WiRē projects in La Plata, Montezuma, and Archuleta counties in Colorado.
- Cascadia Conservation DistrictmajorWashington state partner working with Chelan County Fire Districts on WiRē projects in the Wenatchee area including Lake Wenatchee, Stemilt Basin, and Chumstick Corridor.
- U.S. Geological SurveymajorFederal research partner including James Meldrum at Fort Collins Science Center. Co-authors academic publications and presents research findings through USGS communities of practice.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Wildfire Research Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): Broad fire safety standards and codes organization that co-sponsors the Fire Adapted Communities program. Larger organization with overlapping wildfire education mission but much wider scope.
- National Association of State Foresters: Organization representing state forestry agencies on wildfire policy and federal coordination. Overlaps with WiRē in serving state-level wildfire partners and is a recognized co-sponsor of community wildfire awards.
- The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit with major wildfire resilience and forest restoration programs. Comparable in mission area but vastly larger scale and broader portfolio.
- USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station: Federal research arm that embeds scientists into WiRē. Operates extensive wildfire and human dimensions research, but as a federal agency rather than a nonprofit partnership model.
Emerging players
- Vibrant Planet: Technology company building shared planning and risk analysis tools for forest and wildfire management. Overlaps with WiRē on parcel-level risk analytics but applies a software-product model.
Direct peers
- Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS): Research organization that conducts empirical wildfire and wind research on building vulnerability. Comparable in producing rigorous, parcel-level research used to inform mitigation practices and policy.
- Headwaters Economics: Independent nonprofit research firm that produces data-driven analyses on wildfire risk, community economics, and rural development. Most direct peer to WiRē's research-practice model applied to wildfire adaptation.
- Pacific Forest Trust: Nonprofit working at the intersection of forest conservation, climate resilience, and community wildfire adaptation. Similar research-practice orientation on forest and wildfire issues.
- Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network: National network connecting fire-adapted community programs and sharing best practices. Closely aligned with WiRē's Community of Practice model and shared focus on community wildfire mitigation.
- EcoAdapt: Nonprofit focused on building resilience to climate change through adaptation planning, with ecosystem-based and community-based programs. Comparable as a research-practice nonprofit in climate adaptation.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wildfire Research Center social profiles
Digital presenceWildfire Research Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wildfire Research Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Wildfire Research Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wildfire Research Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wildfire Research Center
What does Wildfire Research Center do?
Wildfire Research Center delivers a research-practice partnership service (the WiRē Approach) in which its staff conduct rapid parcel-level physical wildfire risk assessments and administer standardized household surveys within wildland-urban interface communities, then co-produce tailored outreach products, community reports, and datasets with partner fire organizations. The two foundational methods are the WiRē RA (13 roadside-observable attributes covering building materials, fuels, topography, and access) and the WiRē Household Survey (social data on resident risk perceptions, mitigation behaviors, and incentive responses), paired parcel-by-parcel for comparative analysis.
Is Wildfire Research Center a public or private company?
Wildfire Research Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wildfire Research Center founded?
Wildfire Research Center was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Wildfire Research Center based?
Wildfire Research Center is headquartered in Niwot, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wildfire Research Center make money?
One revenue line is on record: federal Government Grants and Agreements.
Who are Wildfire Research Center's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Association of State Foresters, The Nature Conservancy and USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. Vibrant Planet is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), Headwaters Economics, Pacific Forest Trust, Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network and EcoAdapt.
Does Wildfire Research Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wildfire Research Center.
What industry is Wildfire Research Center in?
Wildfire Research Center's product category is Wildfire Risk Research and Community Adaptation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMAEAI, Forest Health Surveys & Risk Assessment (Tree Hazard, Mortality), with a secondary code of IMAMAJAG, Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services. Its NAICS code is 11531 and its SIC code is 800.