James R Meldrum, PhD
James Meldrum is an economist in the Social and Economic Analysis Branch at the Fort Collins Science Center. His primary research focus is measuring, modeling, and understanding human relationships with natural resources.
James' economics and applied social science work spans many areas of interest to the USGS and our federal and non-federal partners. His main research topics include measuring, modeling, and understanding human relationships with natural resources, especially through the lens of ecosystem services, and with natural hazards, especially focused on mitigating the risks of wildland fire. James is a founding member of the Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team, an interdisciplinary collaboration focused on coproducing science in support of community wildfire adaptedness and wildfire risk mitigation on private lands, and he is an active participant in numerous USGS- and DOI-wide communities of practice.
Research Interests
- Environmental economics
- Wildfire risk mitigation
- Ecosystem services
- Behavioral economics
Professional Experience
Research Economist; U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Colorado; June 2016 to present
Research Associate; University of Colorado Boulder, Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES); 2012 to 2016
Policy Analysis Intern; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Strategic Energy Analysis Center, Golden, Colorado; 2011 to 2012
Engineering Physicist; Stereotaxis, Inc., Systems Group, St. Louis, Missouri; 2005 to 2006
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2012, University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Studies Program, focus on Environmental Economics
M.S. 2010, University of Colorado Boulder Environmental Studies Program, focus on Environmental Economics
B.S. 2005, Washington University in St. Louis School of Engineering and Applied Science, Primary major in Physics with a secondary major in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology
Science and Products
Economics of Wildland Fire
Water Economics
The Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team
Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative (SECI)
Living with wildfire in Grand County, Colorado: 2021 data report
2021 assessment of the Joint Fire Science Program’s Fire Science Exchange Network
Living with wildfire in Teton County, Wyoming: 2021 data report
Parcel-level risk affects wildfire outcomes: Insights from pre-fire rapid assessment data for homes destroyed in 2020 East Troublesome Fire
Living with wildfire in Log Hill Mesa, Ouray County, Colorado: 2017 data report and a comparison to 2011 and 2012 data
Living with wildfire in Chalk Creek, Chaffee County, Colorado: 2019 data report
Putting people first: Using social science to reduce risk
U.S. Geological Survey wildland fire science strategic plan, 2021–26
Would you like to know more? The effect of personalized wildfire risk information and social comparisons on information-seeking behavior in the wildland–urban interface
Living with wildfire in Ashland, Oregon: 2020 data report
Developing behavioral and evidence-based programs for wildfire risk mitigation
Living with wildfire in the Squilchuck Drainage - Chelan County, Washington: 2020 data report
Non-USGS Publications**
**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.
Science and Products
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Economics of Wildland Fire
In recent decades, wildfires have increased in size and intensity, and the fire season has lengthened. This and other factors have increased wildfire suppression costs and risks to human health and safety. SEA economists investigate numerous aspects of wildland fire, its impacts, and how to mitigate the risk wildfire poses to people, resources, and property.Water Economics
Water is associated with numerous ecosystem services, including clean water for drinking, support for outdoor recreation, provision for other ecosystem processes, and direct cultural values.The Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team
Wildfires cost billions of dollars to suppress annually, yet they still devastate lives, communities, and ecosystems. While wildfire is a natural phenomenon, learning to live with wildfire is a social issue – so we need a social solution.Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative (SECI)
The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Sustaining Environmental Capital Initiative (SECI) is to develop and enhance science and research on ecosystem services in support of improving natural resource management. This effort is in response to the fourth recommendation of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) July 2011 report: "Federal agencies with... - Data
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Filter Total Items: 38
Living with wildfire in Grand County, Colorado: 2021 data report
Wildfire affects hundreds of wildland-urban interface communities each year, and yet most communities lack data reflecting the conditions before an event. This study was conducted before the devastating 2020 East Troublesome Fire1, which spread across 193,812 acres and resulted in two lives lost and 366 homes and 214 other structures burned. The fire’s dramatic run threatened over 7,000 structuresAuthorsHannah Brenkert-Smith, Abby Elizabeth McConnell, Schelly K. Olson, Adam C. Gosey, James Meldrum, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie Gomez, Christopher M. Barth, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner, Julia Goolsby2021 assessment of the Joint Fire Science Program’s Fire Science Exchange Network
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), on behalf of the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), conducted an evaluation of the Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN), which connects wildland fire scientists and practitioners through 15 individual exchanges across the United States to help address complex wildfire needs and challenges. The study was divided into two phases: The first phase was a literature reAuthorsNatasha Collins, James Meldrum, Rudy Schuster, Nina BurkardtLiving with wildfire in Teton County, Wyoming: 2021 data report
Wildfire affects many types of communities and is a particular concern for communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), such as those of Teton County, Wyoming. The core intent of this project was to provide evidence to support the Teton Area Wildfire Protection Coalition (TAWPC) and affiliated organizations in their wildfire mitigation and education programming. This report analyzes existingAuthorsJulia B. Goolsby, Patricia A. Champ, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Bobbi J Clauson, Robert M Sgroi, Lesley Williams, Christopher M. Barth, James Meldrum, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn WagnerParcel-level risk affects wildfire outcomes: Insights from pre-fire rapid assessment data for homes destroyed in 2020 East Troublesome Fire
Parcel-level risk (PLR) describes how wildfire risk varies from home to home based on characteristics that relate to likely fire behavior, the susceptibility of homes to fire, and the ability of firefighters to safely access properties. Here, we describe the WiRē Rapid Assessment (RA), a parcel-level rapid wildfire risk assessment tool designed to evaluate PLR with a small set of measures for allAuthorsJames Meldrum, Christopher M. Barth, Julia B. Goolsby, Schelly K. Olson, Adam C. Gosey, James (Brad) White, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie GomezLiving with wildfire in Log Hill Mesa, Ouray County, Colorado: 2017 data report and a comparison to 2011 and 2012 data
Over the last decade, a team of researchers and practitioners, referred to as the Wildfire Research Team (WiRē1 Team), has worked with wildfire practitioners seeking to create communities that are adapted to wildfire through an evidenced-based approach. The West Region Wildfire Council (WRWC) has been an integral partner amongst the WiRē Team throughout this time. Together, the WiRē Team has develAuthorsColleen Donovan, Jamie Gomez, Lilia C. Falk, Christopher M. Barth, Patricia A. Champ, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, James Meldrum, Carolyn WagnerLiving with wildfire in Chalk Creek, Chaffee County, Colorado: 2019 data report
Wildfire affects many types of communities and is a particular concern for communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), such as Chalk Creek in Chaffee County. The core intent of this project was to provide evidence to support Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) Salida Field Office’s wildfire mitigation and education program. This report analyzes existing wildfire risk data collected in lateAuthorsPatricia A. Champ, Julia B. Goolsby, J. T. Shaver, Josh Kuehn, James Meldrum, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Christopher M. Barth, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn WagnerPutting people first: Using social science to reduce risk
Wildland-urban interface residents, who occupy the areas where wildlands meet and mix with human development, are both contributors to and recipients of the disastrous effects of wildland fires. They contribute through fire starts, flammable homes, unmitigated properties, opposition to mitigation on nearby public lands, and land use planning efforts. We argue that successful, sustainable wildlandAuthorsPatricia A. Champ, Christopher M. Barth, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Lilia C. Falk, Jamie Gomez, James MeldrumU.S. Geological Survey wildland fire science strategic plan, 2021–26
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Wildland Fire Science Strategic Plan defines critical, core fire science capabilities for understanding fire-related and fire-responsive earth system processes and patterns, and informing management decision making. Developed by USGS fire scientists and executive leadership, and informed by conversations with external stakeholders, the Strategic Plan is aligned wiAuthorsPaul F. Steblein, Rachel A. Loehman, Mark P. Miller, Joseph R. Holomuzki, Suzanna C. Soileau, Matthew L. Brooks, Mia Drane-Maury, Hannah M. Hamilton, Jason W. Kean, Jon E. Keeley, Robert R. Mason,, Alexa McKerrow, James Meldrum, Edmund B. Molder, Sheila F. Murphy, Birgit Peterson, Geoffrey S. Plumlee, Douglas J. Shinneman, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Alison YorkByEcosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Science Synthesis, Analysis and Research Program, Science Analytics and Synthesis (SAS) Program, Alaska Science Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wildland Fire ScienceWould you like to know more? The effect of personalized wildfire risk information and social comparisons on information-seeking behavior in the wildland–urban interface
Private landowners are important actors in landscape-level wildfire risk management. Accordingly, wildfire programs and policy encourage wildland–urban interface homeowners to engage with local organizations to properly mitigate wildfire risk on their parcels. We investigate whether parcel-level wildfire risk assessment data, commonly used to inform community-level planning and resource allocationAuthorsJames Meldrum, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie Gomez, Hilary Byerly, Lilia C. Falk, Christopher M. BarthLiving with wildfire in Ashland, Oregon: 2020 data report
Wildfire affects many types of communities. Improved understandings of urban conflagrations are leading some fire-prone communities, such as Ashland, Oregon, to expand their attention from focusing solely on the intermix fringe to managing wildfire threats across more urbanized wildland urban interface (WUI) communities. The core intent of this project was to build a partnership between the WildfiAuthorsHannah Brenkert-Smith, Chris Chambers, Katie Gibble, Christopher M. Barth, Colleen Donovan, Carolyn Wagner, Alison Lerch, James Meldrum, Patricia A. ChampDeveloping behavioral and evidence-based programs for wildfire risk mitigation
The actions of residents in the wildland–urban interface can influence the private and social costs of wildfire. Wildfire programs that encourage residents to take action are often delivered without evidence of effects on behavior. Research from the field of behavioral science shows that simple, often low-cost changes to program design and delivery can influence socially desirable behaviors. In thAuthorsHilary Byerly, James Meldrum, Hannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Jamie Gomez, Lilia C. Falk, Christopher M. BarthLiving with wildfire in the Squilchuck Drainage - Chelan County, Washington: 2020 data report
Research on the social dimensions of wildfire provides opportunities to understand how communities and the people who reside in those communities interact with the threat of wildfire. Overall, three findings from this project were particularly noteworthy. First, household survey results indicate that residents in the Squilchuck Drainage, Chelan County, Washington have high expectations of responseAuthorsHannah Brenkert-Smith, Patricia A. Champ, Jon Riley, Christopher M. Barth, Colleen Donovan, James Meldrum, Carolyn WagnerNon-USGS Publications**
Meldrum, J., L. Falk, J. Gomez, C. Barth, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, and P. Champ. 2017. Living with wildfire in Telluride Fire Protection District, Colorado. Research Note RMRS-RN-75. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 30pp. https://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/53729Meldrum, J. 2016. Floodplain price impacts by property type in Boulder County, Colorado: Condominiums versus standalone properties. Environmental and Resource Economics 64(4): 725-750. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10640-015-9897-xMeldrum, J. 2015. Comparing different attitude statements in latent class models of stated preferences for managing an invasive forest pathogen. Ecological Economics 120: 13-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.09.024Brenkert-Smith, H., J. Meldrum, and P. Champ 2015. Climate change beliefs and hazard mitigation actions: homeowners and wildfire risk. Environmental Hazards 14(4): 341-360. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17477891.2015.1080656Meldrum, J., P. Champ, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, C. Barth, and L. Falk 2015. Understanding gaps between the risk perceptions of wildland-urban interface (WUI) residents and wildfire professionals. Risk Analysis 35(9): 1746-1761. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/risa.12370Meldrum, J., C. Barth, L. Falk, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, and P. Champ 2015. Living with wildfire in Delta County, Colorado: cross-community comparisons. Research Note RMRS-RN-67. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 33pp. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn067.htmlMeldrum, J., P. Champ, T. Warziniack, H. Brenkert-Smith, C. Barth, and L. Falk 2014. Cost shared wildfire risk mitigation in Log Hill Mesa, Colorado: survey evidence on participation and willingness to pay. International Journal of Wildland Fire 23(4): 567-576. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF13130Heath, G., J. Meldrum, N. Fisher, D. Arent, and M. Bazilian 2014. Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from Barnett Shale gas used to generate electricity. Journal of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources 8: 46-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.juogr.2014.07.002Cohen, S, K. Averyt, J. Macknick, and J. Meldrum 2014. Modeling climate-water impacts on electricity sector capacity expansion. Proceedings of the ASME Power 2014 Conference. Jul 28-31, Baltimore, MD. http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=1938877Meldrum, J., C. Barth, L. Falk, H. Brenkert-Smith, T. Warziniack, and P. Champ 2013. Living with wildfire in Log Hill Mesa, Colorado. Research Note RMRS-RN-66. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 34pp. http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_rn066.htmlAveryt, K., J. Meldrum, P. Caldwell, G. Sun, S. McNulty, A. Huber-Lee, and N. Madden 2013. Sectoral contributions to surface water stress in the conterminous U.S. Environmental Research Letters 8: 035046. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035046Yates, D., J. Meldrum, and K. Averyt (2013). The influence of future electricity mix alternatives on southwestern US water resources. Environmental Research Letters 8: 045005. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045005Yates, D., K. Averyt, F. Flores-Lopez, J. Meldrum, S. Sattler, J. Sieber, and C. Young 2013. A water resources model to explore the implications of energy alternatives in the southwestern US. Environmental Research Letters 8: 045004. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/045004Yates, D., J. Meldrum, F. Flores-Lopez, and M. Davis 2013. Integrated impacts of future electricity mix scenarios on select southeastern US water resources. Environmental Research Letters 8: 035042. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035042Meldrum, J., S. Nettles-Anderson, G. Heath, and J. Macknick 2013. Life cycle water use for electricity generation: a review and harmonization of literature estimates. Environmental Research Letters 8: 015031. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015031Averyt, K., J. Macknick, J. Rogers, N. Madden, J. Fisher, J. Meldrum, and R. Newmark. 2013. Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008. Environmental Research Letters 8: 015001. http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015001Meldrum, J., P. Champ, and C. Bond 2013. Heterogeneous nonmarket benefits of managing white pine blister rust in high-elevation pine forests. Journal of Forest Economics 19: 61-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfe.2012.10.001Rogers, J., K. Averyt, S. Clemmer, M. Davis, F. Flores-Lopez, P. Frumhoff, D. Kenney, J. Macknick, N. Madden, J. Meldrum, J. Overpeck, S. Sattler, E. Spanger-Siegfried, and D. Yates 2013. Water-smart power: Strengthening the U.S. electricity system in a warming world. A report of the Energy and Water in a Warming World initiative. Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists: 50pp. http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/energy-and-water-use/water-smart-power.html
Meldrum, J., C. Bond, and P. Champ 2011. Valuing the forest for the trees: willingness to pay for white pine blister rust management. The future of high-elevation, five-needle white pines in Western North America: Proceedings of the High Five Symposium. RMRS-P-63. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 226-234. http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/38228Bond, C., P. Champ, J. Meldrum, and A. Schoettle 2011. Investigating the optimality of proactive management of an invasive forest pest. The future of high-elevation, five-needle white pines in Western North America: Proceedings of the High Five Symposium. RMRS-P-63. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: 295-302. http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/38241**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.
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