Wildland–urban interface

Picture the last street in a town, with dry hills starting right behind the back fences. That strip is the wildland–urban interface, often shortened to WUI and said out loud as “wooey”.

Fires that start in the open land reach buildings here first. Fire agencies and insurers treat these addresses as higher risk, which is why premiums in these areas have climbed sharply in California.

Companies selling wildfire protection, including robotic systems, aim at this zone because it is where a small amount of defense can save a lot of property.