(Photo courtesy of the National Park Service)

Orange-colored smoke billows from the Fuller Fire.

Over the past few decades, there has been a big increase in the number of homes built in what’s called the Wildland-Urban Interface — basically, where development meets undeveloped land.

That can have a significant impact on fighting wildfires. Senior data reporter Eric Sagara has looked into this for the for Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX.

Hear Reveal Sunday afternoons at 3, on KJZZ.