Austin one of top 15 metropolitan areas with wildfire risk: Report

AUSTIN, Texas — According to researchers from CoreLogic, when it comes to wildfire risks, the Austin area is ranked fifth in the western parts of the U.S.

The report said that almost 54,000 people in Central Texas live somewhere that has a high risk for wildfires. The researchers estimate that if a wildfire actually did happen in these areas, it could cause more than $16 billion in damages.

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The report also ranks Texas as the fourth state based on average acres burned per year from 2002-2018. They said that while wildfires have always been a part of the ecosystems and landscapes of the western U.S., the massive populations in that region increase the potential impacts of wildfires on people.

It also said that people are four times more likely to start a wildfire than natural causes.

To read the full report, click here.

WATCH: Burn bans in place to prevent wildfires in Central Texas

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