Wildland-urban interface
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Wildland-urban interface

by Antonio Jordán, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain

The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is the transition area between unoccupied land and urban or populated areas and is under serious risk of wildfire. The picture shows part of the WUI near Ojén (Málaga, SW Spain). In this area there are about 100,000 scattered houses, built without legal approval. In August 2012, a forest fire destroyed more than 8000 hectares, causing one death and more than 6,500 evacuees.