This report summarizes current research on physical, social, and ecological

vulnerability to wildfires in the boreal but highly managed landscapes of Sweden.

The literature shows that most human injuries and most building ignitions occur

during small, building-adjacent spring grassfires, and that physical vulnerability can be

reduced by creating defensible space between buildings and flammable vegetation.

Existing literature on social vulnerability suggests that rural residents, older adults, and

individuals engaging in traditional fire use are disproportionately affected. However

little is known about how different societal groups anticipate, respond to, and recover

from fire events in Sweden.

In terms of ecological vulnerability, Swedish boreal forests exhibit moderate

susceptibility and high recovery capacity in comparison to global ecosystems, owing to

long evolutionary adaptation to fire and rapid post-fire regeneration by broadleaved

pioneer species. The forest landscape is on the other hand threatened by a century-long

fire deficit, decreasing the occurrence of mixed and sparse pine forests in favor of dense

spruce stands.

In summary, the structure of settlements and gardens, the societal structure as well as

the highly exploited and managed forest landscape makes it difficult to apply

relationships and conclusions drawn from other regions directly to a Swedish context.

It is important to reflect how the specifics of this region play out in terms of all aspects

of wildfire vulnerability.