What is the wildland-urban interface?

The term wildland-urban interface often conjures up images of a sharp delineation between developed and undeveloped lands. It is also commonly thought of as areas where development occurs within forests, places where built structures intermix with natural areas. The wildland-urban interface, however, must be thought of in much broader terms. The interface involves areas of mixed ownerships and multiple jurisdictions, resulting in an array of political, social, and economic challenges that must be taken into account when defining the interface.