CalChiefs Press Release on WUI Data Commons Next Phase Update

CalChiefs releases second phase report of Wildland-Urban Interface Data Commons, with support from Milliman and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

August 19, 2025 – The California Fire Chiefs Association (CalChiefs), a large and diverse professional association whose vision is to strengthen and advocate for the California fire service, announced the completion of Phase 2 of the development of a Wildland-Urban Interface Data Commons (WUI Data Commons). The research and report was conducted by Milliman on behalf of CalChiefs and funded through a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

The WUI Data Commons is a multi-phased public-private initiative designed to systematically collect and store previously inaccessible wildfire mitigation and suppression data, while providing controlled access to a variety of insurance and noninsurance users. The initiative’s long-term goal is to facilitate impactful and effective community actions to reduce vulnerability to fire and ensure that those actions are visible to insurers.

In this second phase, Milliman solicited input from over 100 subject-matter experts to develop an aligned vision for the project and a thorough plan for a working pilot that includes 30 to 50 neighborhoods in up to seven states in a subsequent phase.

“The insights and recommendations captured in the Phase 2 report reflect a forward-thinking and deeply collaborative process that recognizes the urgent need for verified, scalable, and accessible wildfire mitigation data,” said Jeff Meston, CalChiefs Executive Director. “CalChiefs believes the WUI Data Commons initiative is not only essential for aligning mitigation standards and informing insurance and policy frameworks, but also for empowering local communities and fire agencies to make data-driven decisions that enhance resilience and protect lives and property.”

“The Wildland-Urban Interface Data Commons is a critical missing piece to ensuring our communities are able to prepare and mitigate the catastrophic consequences of wildfire,” said Genny Biggs, program director of the Wildfire Resilience Initiative at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. “The data provides insurers and other decision makers with access to actionable information that will enable them to better support property owners, and, in turn, incentivize property owners to implement the mitigations that will matter most to reduce communities’ vulnerability to extreme wildfire events.”

As wildfire threats grow in frequency and severity, this public-private model represents a transformative step toward closing the data gaps that hinder mitigation, insurance access, and community planning. CalChiefs is proud to contribute to this effort and look forward to the impact Phase 3 will have in shaping a safer future across the Western United States.

Read the WUI Data Commons Phase 2 report. To learn more about the development of the WUI Data Commons, watch the latest webinar.