Nature-Inspired Wildfire Resilience

This paper examines how ecosystems and species that have evolved with wildfire can inform innovative strategies for resilient design in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). Drawing on principles of biomimicry, it translates natural adaptations—such as fire-resistant bark, regenerative growth, and landscape patchiness—into practical approaches for buildings, landscapes, and communities. Through case studies from California and Colorado, the paper highlights how architectural form, material selection, and urban planning can work in concert with ecological processes to reduce wildfire vulnerability. It proposes a shift from defensive to adaptive strategies—designing homes and neighborhoods to coexist with fire rather than merely resist it.