An Examination of the Influence of Hazard Experience on Wildfire Risk Perceptions and Adoption of Mitigation Measures

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 308-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara K. McGee ◽  
Bonita L. McFarlane ◽  
Jeji Varghese
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Hazard Experience

scholarly journals Interactions between Resident Risk Perceptions and Wildfire Risk Mitigation: Evidence from Simultaneous Equations Modeling

Fire ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
James R. Meldrum ◽  
Hannah Brenkert-Smith ◽  
Patricia Champ ◽  
Jamie Gomez ◽  
Lilia Falk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Publicly Supported ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
In Fire ◽  
Simultaneous Model

Fire science emphasizes that mitigation actions on residential property, including structural hardening and maintaining defensible space, can reduce the risk of wildfire at a home. Accordingly, a rich body of social science literature investigates the determinants of wildfire risk mitigation behaviors of residents living in fire-prone areas. Here, we investigate relationships among wildfire hazards, residents’ risk perceptions, and conditions associated with mitigation actions using a combination of simulated wildfire conditions, household survey responses, and professionally assessed parcel characteristic data. We estimate a simultaneous model of these data that accounts for potential direct feedbacks between risk perceptions and parcel-level conditions. We also compare the use of self-reported versus assessed parcel-level data for estimating these relationships. Our analysis relies on paired survey and assessment data for approximately 2000 homes in western Colorado. Our simultaneous model demonstrates dual-directional interactions between risk perceptions and conditions associated with mitigation actions, with important implications for inference from simpler approaches. In addition to improving general understanding of decision-making about risk and natural hazards, our findings can support the effectiveness of publicly supported programs intended to encourage mitigation to reduce society’s overall wildfire risk.

Race and Wildfire Risk Perceptions among Rural Forestland Owners in North-Central Florida

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (12) ◽  
pp. 1293-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Wyman ◽  
Sparkle Malone ◽  
Taylor Stein ◽  
Cassandra Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
North Central ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Central Florida

scholarly journals A Multisite Qualitative Comparison of Community Wildfire Risk Perceptions

2012 ◽  
Vol 110 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason S. Gordon ◽  
Al Luloff ◽  
Richard C. Stedman
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Qualitative Comparison ◽  
Wildfire Risk

Earth, Wind, and Fire: Wildfire Risk Perceptions in a Hurricane-Prone Environment

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (11) ◽  
pp. 1161-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soren M. Newman ◽  
Matthew S. Carroll ◽  
Pamela J. Jakes ◽  
Daniel R. Williams ◽  
Lorie L. Higgins
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Wildfire Risk

scholarly journals Overcoming Ambiguity: Conflict Between Emergency Warning Messages and Socio-Environmental Cues

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s21-s21
Author(s):  
Paula Dootson ◽  
Dominique Greer ◽  
Sophie Miller ◽  
Vivienne Tippett
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Protective Action ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Hazard Experience ◽  
Perceive Risk ◽  
The Right ◽  
Taking Action

Introduction:Emergency services are not the only source of information that the public uses when considering taking action during an event. There are also environmental cues, information from the media, or actions by peers that can influence perceptions and actions. When cues from different information sources are in conflict, it can cause uncertainty about the right protective action to take.Aim:Our research responds to concerns that conflicting cues exacerbate community non-compliance with emergency warnings.Methods:The sample consisted of 2,649 participants who completed one of 32 surveys.Results:The findings from this project confirmed emergency services agencies’ suspicions that conflicting cues can affect information processing and risk perceptions, and therefore prevent people from taking appropriate protective action. The results were reasonably consistent across fire and flood scenarios, suggesting the problem of conflicting cues is not hazard-specific. When presented with consistent cues, participants were more likely to evacuate, perceive risk about the event, share information with friends, family, and peers, find emergency warnings to be effective, and comprehend information. When faced with conflicting cues, participants were more likely to seek out additional information. It affected their information processing and self-efficacy. The results did not change for people of different ages, native language, country of birth, or post-hazard experience. This is contrary to most emergency literature research findings, which show that individual differences play a role in impacting propensity to take protective action. However, there does appear to be a significant gender effect. These results require further exploration.Discussion:These findings may be used to assist emergency services agencies to tailor community warnings during time-critical situations, and develop ways to mitigate ambiguity caused by conflicting cues to encourage protective action in order to save lives and properties.

Living in a tinderbox: wildfire risk perceptions and mitigating behaviours

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia A. Champ ◽  
Geoffrey H. Donovan ◽  
Christopher M. Barth
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Front Range ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Prone Area ◽  
The Usa ◽  
In Fire ◽  
The Relationship

The loss of homes to wildfires is an important issue in the USA and other countries. Yet many homeowners living in fire-prone areas do not undertake mitigating actions, such as clearing vegetation, to decrease the risk of losing their home. To better understand the complexity of wildfire risk-mitigation decisions and the role of perceived risk, we conducted a survey of homeowners in a fire-prone area of the front range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. We examine the relationship between perceived wildfire risk ratings and risk-mitigating behaviours in two ways. First, we model wildfire risk-mitigation behaviours as a function of perceived risk. Then, we model wildfire risk-mitigation behaviours and perceived risk simultaneously. The results of the simultaneous model suggest that perceived risk and wildfire risk-mitigating behaviours are jointly determined. By correctly specifying the relationship between risk perceptions and mitigating behaviours, we are better able to understand the relationship between other factors, such as exposure to a wildfire-mitigation program and wildfire risk-mitigating behaviours. We also find that having a wood roof, as well as homeowner age, income and previous experience with living in a fire-prone area, are associated with wildfire risk-mitigating behaviours.

scholarly journals Cost shared wildfire risk mitigation in Log Hill Mesa, Colorado: survey evidence on participation and willingness to pay

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 567 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Meldrum ◽  
Patricia A. Champ ◽  
Travis Warziniack ◽  
Hannah Brenkert-Smith ◽  
Christopher M. Barth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Cost Sharing ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Risk Levels ◽  
Visual Impacts ◽  
The Cost

Wildland–urban interface (WUI) homeowners who do not mitigate the wildfire risk on their properties impose a negative externality on society. To reduce the social costs of wildfire and incentivise homeowners to take action, cost sharing programs seek to reduce the barriers that impede wildfire risk mitigation. Using survey data from a WUI community in western Colorado and a two-stage decision framework, we examine residents’ willingness to participate in a cost sharing program for removing vegetation on their properties and the amount they are willing to contribute to the cost of that removal. We find that different factors motivate decisions about participation and about how much to pay. Willingness to participate correlates with both financial and non-monetary considerations, including informational barriers and wildfire risk perceptions, but not with concerns about effectiveness or visual impacts. Residents of properties with higher wildfire risk levels are less likely to participate in the cost sharing than those with lower levels of wildfire risk. We find widespread, positive willingness to pay for vegetation removal, with the amount associated negatively with property size and positively with respondent income. These results can inform the development of cost sharing programs to encourage wildfire risk mitigation on private property.

scholarly journals The Effects of Past Hurricane Experiences on Evacuation Intentions through Risk Perception and Efficacy Beliefs: A Mediation Analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie L. Demuth ◽  
Rebecca E. Morss ◽  
Jeffrey K. Lazo ◽  
Craig Trumbo
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Efficacy Beliefs ◽  
Financial Loss ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Populations At Risk ◽  
Hazard Experience ◽  
Past Experiences

Abstract Individuals’ past experiences with a hazard can encompass many different aspects, which can influence how they judge and respond to a future hurricane risk. This study, which utilizes survey data from coastal residents who are at risk from hurricanes, adds to understanding of past hazard experience in two ways. First, it examines six different aspects of people’s past hurricane experiences and the relationships among them. Then, it draws on risk theories of behavioral responses to explore how these different experiences influence people’s evacuation intentions for a hypothetical hurricane as mediated through multiple dimensions of risk perception (cognitive, negative affective) and efficacy beliefs (self efficacy, response efficacy). The results suggest that people can experience emotional or otherwise severe impacts from a hurricane even if they do not have experiences with evacuation, property damage, or financial loss. The results also reveal that different past hurricane experiences operated through different combinations of mediating variables to influence evacuation intentions. Some of these processes enhanced intentions; for instance, experience with evacuation, financial loss, or emotional impacts heightened negative affective risk perceptions, which increased evacuation intentions. Other processes dampened evacuation intentions; for instance, people with past hurricane-related emotional impacts had lower self efficacy, which decreased evacuation intentions. In some cases, these enhancing and dampening processes competed. Exploring people’s different past weather experiences and the mechanisms by which they can influence future behaviors is important for more deeply understanding populations at risk and how they respond to weather threats.

scholarly journals Chronic diseases: Perceptions about Covid-19 risk and vaccination

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily E. Ricotta ◽  
Jennifer L. Kwan ◽  
Brianna A. Smith ◽  
Nicholas G. Evans
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Autoimmune Disease ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Disease ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
The Us ◽  
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions

AbstractBackgroundIndividuals with chronic disease may be at higher risk of dying from COVID-19, yet no association has been established between chronic illness and COVID-19 risk perception, engagement with nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), or vaccine acceptance.MethodsWe surveyed US residents who self-reported a chronic respiratory or autoimmune disease in February 2021. Respondents reported beliefs about the risk of COVID-19 to personal and public health, adoption and support of NPIs, willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and reasons for vaccination willingness. We evaluated the association between disease status and COVID-19 behaviors or attitudes, adjusting for demographic and political factors.ResultsCompared to healthy controls, chronic disease was associated with increased belief that COVID-19 was a personal (Respiratory = 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10 - 0.15; Autoimmune = 0.11, CI = 0.08 - 0.14) and public threat (Respiratory = 0.04, CI = 0.02 - 0.06; Autoimmune = 0.03, CI = 0.01 - 0.06), and support for NPIs. Chronic respiratory disease was associated with willingness to be vaccinated (0.6, CI = 0.05 - 0.09). Personal protection was associated with vaccination (Respiratory = 1.08, CI = 1.03 – 1.13; Autoimmune = 1.06, CI = 1.01 – 1.11). Autoimmune disease was associated with fear of a bad vaccine reaction (1.22, CI = 1.06 - 1.41) among those unwilling to be vaccinated.ConclusionsIn the US, chronic disease status is significantly related to risk perceptions of COVID, support of personal and community risk mitigation measures, and willingness to be vaccinated.

scholarly journals Global Climate Change Risk and Mitigation Perceptions: A Comparison of Nine Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjoern Hagen ◽  
Ariane Middel ◽  
David Pijawka
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Threat Perceptions ◽  
Explanatory Factors ◽  
Hazard Experience ◽  
High Degree

<p><span lang="EN-US">To broaden our understanding of global climate change (GCC), this article presents results from an ongoing longitudinal research project that investigates public GCC risk perceptions in nine countries focusing on different perceptions important in policy formulation. A key goal of the study is to understand which nations express similar or different viewpoints with respect to explanatory factors such as threat perceptions, hazard experience, socio-demographics, knowledge of climate change, and other factors found in the environmental hazards literature. Despite many variances in GCC perceptions among the surveyed national populations, the analysis shows that some differences are marginal, while others allow the grouping of countries based on different perception factors. Survey results reveal a high degree of uncertainty with regards to climate change dimensions including risk, science, knowledge, and policy approaches to mitigate GCC.</span></p>

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