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Abstract
This study systematically addressed the issue of WUI in the southern U.S. from various aspects. WUI gradients and spatial patterns were explored at various time scales, from 1980 to 2000, and spatial levels, regional and landscape. First, WUI was analyzed at the regional level in the southern U.S. Then, the analysis was carried out inside WUI areas to differentiate the priority order of WUI based on demographic features of local communities. Areas with clustered high priority WUI were defined as hotspots. Finally, a new method was proposed to identify WUI gradients at a landscape scale. The result showed that analysis at the county level generally overestimated area of Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), while underestimated area converted from wildland to WUI from 1990 to 2000. Assessment at the census block level revealed more spatial detail and was more accurate for WUI area and converted area, but at the expense of losing spatial pattern at the regional scale. WUI at the tract and Census Block Group (CBG) levels were more accurate than county level in terms of determining area of the WUI and converted area and conveyed more information about the spatial pattern at the regional scale. The WUI hotspots associated with household income, education level residency time was found mostly in the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee. WUI hotspots associated with household income, education level and residency time was 37,041, 41,288, and 72,060 square miles respectively. Area of these hotspot accounted for 20.3%, 22.6%, and 39.4% of the total WUI area respectively. Area with high WUI gradient index was distributed mainly around outside area. WUI identified at the landscape scale accounted for 20.5% of the Gatlinburg area and, 21.6% in the Tallahassee area. Most areas were suitable for fuel reduction measures such as prescribed fire or mechanical thinning. WUI area unsuitable for prescribed fire and mechanical thinning accounted for 11.6% of the Gatlinburg area and 4.5% of the Tallahassee area. Index Words: Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), gradient, scale, MAUP, regional, landscape