A new Special Issue of Environmental and Resource Economics (ERE), published by Environmental & Earth Sciences, Springer Nature, is now open for submissions.

In many regions worldwide, wildfire seasons are becoming longer, more frequent, and more intense. Driven by climate change, land-use shifts, and the expansion of human settlements into fire-prone areas, wildfires are increasingly evolving from localised hazards into systemic risks with cascading impacts across ecosystems and economies.

Wildfires and associated smoke pollution affect economic systems through multiple interconnected channels. Beyond direct damages and suppression costs, they disrupt supply chains, reduce labour productivity, affect tourism, and influence migration and housing markets. At the same time, they generate significant public health burdens and place increasing pressure on public finances, insurance systems, and governance structures.

Despite growing attention, important gaps remain in understanding the full economic and welfare impacts of wildfires, particularly in regions newly exposed to such risks. Advances in data availability, remote sensing, and AI-based technologies also open new avenues for applied research and policy innovation.

This Special Issue seeks to advance empirical and policy-relevant insights into wildfire impacts and the effectiveness of adaptation and management strategies. Contributions grounded in environmental, climate, and resource economics are particularly encouraged, including interdisciplinary work where it strengthens economic analysis.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):

  • Labour productivity, employment dynamics, and worker mobility
  • Housing markets, migration, and behavioural responses to wildfire risk
  • Natural capital and ecosystem service valuation
  • Inequality and distributional impacts of wildfire exposure
  • Public finance, insurance markets, and fiscal implications
  • Governance, institutions, and risk-sharing mechanisms
  • Prevention, suppression, and adaptation strategies
  • Health and welfare impacts of smoke exposure

📅 Submission deadline: 30 September 2026

All manuscripts must be submitted through the Environmental and Resource Economics online submission system. Authors should select submission to the Wildfires Special Issue. All papers will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, with a target decision timeline of approximately six weeks. Accepted articles will be published on a rolling basis in the dedicated collection.

🔗 More information and submission details:
https://link.springer.com/collections/egeefbchbd