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Amanda R. Carlson, PhD

Amanda Carlson is a Physical Research Scientist with the Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center in Denver, Colorado. Her research focuses on using spatial models of wildfire occurrence in the United States to better understand how to assess risk to homes and ecosystems.

Amanda joined the USGS in 2022. She was previously a post-doc at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied spatial patterns of wildfire and buildings in the wildland-urban interface. She received her Ph.D. from Colorado State University in 2019 after completing dissertation work focused on subalpine forest regeneration following wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. She received an M.Sc. in GIS from the University of Edinburgh in 2013 and a B.S. in environmental sciences from the University of California, Berkeley in 2011. 

 

Professional Experience

  • Physical Research Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO (Oct. 2022 – present)

  • Post-doc, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, Madison, WI (2020 – 2022)

  • Graduate Research Assistant, National Park Service, Climate Change Response Program, Fort Collins, CO (2016 – 2019)

  • Graduate Research Assistant, Colorado State University, Department of Anthropology & Geography, Fort Collins, CO (2016 – 2019)

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, Colorado State University, Department of Anthropology & Geography, Fort Collins, CO (2015 – 2016)

  • GIS/Remote Sensing Technician, Ducks Unlimited, Rancho Cordova, CA (2014)

  • Seasonal Field Technician, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Grand Junction, CO (2011 & 2012)

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D., Ecology, Colorado State University (2019)

  • M.Sc., Geographical Information Science, University of Edinburgh (2013)

  • B.S., Environmental Science, University of California at Berkeley (2011)

  • B.A., Earth and Planetary Science, University of California at Berkeley (2011)

Science and Products

The global wildland-urban interface

The wildland–urban interface (WUI) is where buildings and wildland vegetation meet or intermingle. It is where human–environmental conflicts and risks can be concentrated, including the loss of houses and lives to wildfire, habitat loss and fragmentation and the spread of zoonotic diseases. However, a global analysis of the WUI has been lacking. Here, we present a global map of the 2020 WUI at 10 
Authors
F. Schug, Avi Bar-Massada, Amanda Renee Carlson, H. Cox, Todd Hawbaker, D. Helmers, Patrick Hostert, D. Kaim, Neda K. Kasraee, S. Martinuzzi, Miranda H. Mockrin, Kira A. Pfoch, Volker C. Radeloff
By
Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

The extent of buildings in wildland vegetation of the conterminous U.S. and the potential for conservation in and near National Forest private inholdings

Development in natural areas is a leading threat to biodiversity. Global conservationists have called for the expansion of protected areas to preserve wildlands that are free from buildings, and in the U.S., the ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative aims to protect 30% of land and water areas by 2030 (known as the ‘30x30’ target). Here, we determined opportunities and limitations for conservation in
Authors
Amanda R. Carlson, Volker C. Radeloff, Dave P. Helmers, Miranda H. Mockrin, Todd Hawbaker, Anna M. Pidgeon
By
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Changes in wildfire occurrence and risk to homes from 1990 through 2019 in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA

Wildfires and housing development have increased since the 1990s, presenting unique challenges for wildfire management. However, it is unclear how the relative influences of housing growth and changing wildfire occurrence have altered risk to homes, or the potential for wildfire to threaten homes. We used a random forests model to predict burn probability in relation to weather variables at 1-km r
Authors
Todd Hawbaker, Paul D. Henne, Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Amanda R. Carlson, Miranda H. Mockrin, Volker C. Radeloff
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

The wildland-urban interface in the United States based on 125 million building locations

The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is the focus of many important land management issues, such as wildfire, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and human-wildlife conflicts. Wildfire is an especially critical issue, because housing growth in the WUI increases wildfire ignitions and the number of homes at risk. Identifying the WUI is important for assessing and mitigating impacts of developmen
Authors
Amanda R. Carlson, David P. Helmers, Todd Hawbaker, Miranda H. Mockrin, Volker C. Radeloff
By
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined
Authors
Amanda R. Carlson, Jason S. Sibold, Timothy J. Assal, José F. Negrón
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Rodman, K. C., Andrus, R. A., Carlson, A. R., Carter, T. A., Chapman, T. B., Coop, J. D., ... & Hart, S. J. (2022). Rocky Mountain forests are poised to recover following bark beetle outbreaks, but with altered composition. Journal of Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13999
Carlson, A.R., Sebasky, M.E., Peters, M.P., & Radeloff, V.C. (2021). The importance of small fires for wildfire hazard in urbanised landscapes of the northeastern US. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 30(5), 307-321.
Carlson, A.R., Sibold, J.S., & Negrón, J.F. (2021). Wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak have mixed effects on below‐canopy temperatures in a Rocky Mountain subalpine forest. Journal of Biogeography, 48(1), 216-230.
Carlson, A.R., Sibold, J.S., & Negrón, J.F. (2020). Canopy structure and below-canopy temperatures interact to shape seedling response to disturbance in a Rocky Mountain subalpine forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 472, 118234.
Runyon, A. N., Carlson, A. R., Gross, J., Lawrence, D. J., & Schuurman, G. W. (2020). Repeatable approaches to work with scientific uncertainty and advance climate change adaptation in US national parks. Parks Stewardship Forum, 36(1), 98-104.
Carlson, A. R., Sibold, J. S., Assal, T. J., & Negrón, J. F. (2017). Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak. PloS One, 12(8), e0181778.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

USGS Wildfire Hazard and Risk Assessment Clearinghouse

This online tool was designed to help identify which wildfire hazard and risk assessments are available across the United States. It provides information about available risk assessments and links to assessment data when publicly available.  

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Science and Products

The global wildland-urban interface

The wildland–urban interface (WUI) is where buildings and wildland vegetation meet or intermingle. It is where human–environmental conflicts and risks can be concentrated, including the loss of houses and lives to wildfire, habitat loss and fragmentation and the spread of zoonotic diseases. However, a global analysis of the WUI has been lacking. Here, we present a global map of the 2020 WUI at 10 
Authors
F. Schug, Avi Bar-Massada, Amanda Renee Carlson, H. Cox, Todd Hawbaker, D. Helmers, Patrick Hostert, D. Kaim, Neda K. Kasraee, S. Martinuzzi, Miranda H. Mockrin, Kira A. Pfoch, Volker C. Radeloff
By
Land Change Science Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

The extent of buildings in wildland vegetation of the conterminous U.S. and the potential for conservation in and near National Forest private inholdings

Development in natural areas is a leading threat to biodiversity. Global conservationists have called for the expansion of protected areas to preserve wildlands that are free from buildings, and in the U.S., the ‘America the Beautiful’ initiative aims to protect 30% of land and water areas by 2030 (known as the ‘30x30’ target). Here, we determined opportunities and limitations for conservation in
Authors
Amanda R. Carlson, Volker C. Radeloff, Dave P. Helmers, Miranda H. Mockrin, Todd Hawbaker, Anna M. Pidgeon
By
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Changes in wildfire occurrence and risk to homes from 1990 through 2019 in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA

Wildfires and housing development have increased since the 1990s, presenting unique challenges for wildfire management. However, it is unclear how the relative influences of housing growth and changing wildfire occurrence have altered risk to homes, or the potential for wildfire to threaten homes. We used a random forests model to predict burn probability in relation to weather variables at 1-km r
Authors
Todd Hawbaker, Paul D. Henne, Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Amanda R. Carlson, Miranda H. Mockrin, Volker C. Radeloff
By
Climate Research and Development Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

The wildland-urban interface in the United States based on 125 million building locations

The wildland-urban interface (WUI) is the focus of many important land management issues, such as wildfire, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and human-wildlife conflicts. Wildfire is an especially critical issue, because housing growth in the WUI increases wildfire ignitions and the number of homes at risk. Identifying the WUI is important for assessing and mitigating impacts of developmen
Authors
Amanda R. Carlson, David P. Helmers, Todd Hawbaker, Miranda H. Mockrin, Volker C. Radeloff
By
Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak

Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks are rapidly spreading throughout subalpine forests of the Rocky Mountains, raising concerns that altered fuel structures may increase the ecological severity of wildfires. Although many recent studies have found no conclusive link between beetle outbreaks and increased fire size or canopy mortality, few studies have addressed whether these combined
Authors
Amanda R. Carlson, Jason S. Sibold, Timothy J. Assal, José F. Negrón
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Rodman, K. C., Andrus, R. A., Carlson, A. R., Carter, T. A., Chapman, T. B., Coop, J. D., ... & Hart, S. J. (2022). Rocky Mountain forests are poised to recover following bark beetle outbreaks, but with altered composition. Journal of Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13999
Carlson, A.R., Sebasky, M.E., Peters, M.P., & Radeloff, V.C. (2021). The importance of small fires for wildfire hazard in urbanised landscapes of the northeastern US. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 30(5), 307-321.
Carlson, A.R., Sibold, J.S., & Negrón, J.F. (2021). Wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak have mixed effects on below‐canopy temperatures in a Rocky Mountain subalpine forest. Journal of Biogeography, 48(1), 216-230.
Carlson, A.R., Sibold, J.S., & Negrón, J.F. (2020). Canopy structure and below-canopy temperatures interact to shape seedling response to disturbance in a Rocky Mountain subalpine forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 472, 118234.
Runyon, A. N., Carlson, A. R., Gross, J., Lawrence, D. J., & Schuurman, G. W. (2020). Repeatable approaches to work with scientific uncertainty and advance climate change adaptation in US national parks. Parks Stewardship Forum, 36(1), 98-104.
Carlson, A. R., Sibold, J. S., Assal, T. J., & Negrón, J. F. (2017). Evidence of compounded disturbance effects on vegetation recovery following high-severity wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak. PloS One, 12(8), e0181778.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

USGS Wildfire Hazard and Risk Assessment Clearinghouse

This online tool was designed to help identify which wildfire hazard and risk assessments are available across the United States. It provides information about available risk assessments and links to assessment data when publicly available.  

By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center