Intermix areas are characterized by a higher density of structures (denser than wildland areas, but less so than interface areas), roads, and other infrastructure breaking up the natural fuel of the landscape. Threats to values-at-risk in these areas focus not only on fuels, but also on the complexity of suppression and evacuation in this environment. Higher road densities allow for better access to suppression resources, but also introduce an element of confusion with respect to arriving at a structure.
Suppression strategies in intermix areas must account for groups of houses as opposed to single structures, as might be encountered in wildland areas. Along with suppression complexities, the presence of people in greater numbers in intermix areas can also result in a higher likelihood of ignition due to barbecues, fireworks, matches, etc. Wildfire Risk Extreme accounts for these added complexities by including additional input datasets to reflect the risk profile. The inclusion of these input datasets, in conjunction with the Wildland dataset, captures the risk to structures represented by this fuel/structure mix.
