Reductions in National Forest Campground Reservation Demand from Wildfire

The impacts of wildfire are widely felt across the United States and expected to increase in coming years. However, little is known about the long-term impacts of wildfire on recreation. We evaluate the impact of wildfire on reservations to US Forest Service (USFS) campgrounds and find that wildfires decrease camping reservations up to 6 years after a fire occurs. The impacts vary across USFS regions, and our analysis reveals the important role of forest cover in determining the magnitude and duration of impacts. Our results imply that wildfires reduce benefits to campers, which can translate into less spending in nearby communities.