Comparison of homeowner response to wildfire risk among towns with and without wildfire management

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Faulkner ◽  
Bonita L. McFarlane ◽  
Tara K. McGee
Keyword(s):  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Wildfire Risk

scholarly journals Navigating the Wildfire–Pandemic Interface: Public Perceptions of COVID-19 and the 2020 Wildfire Season in Arizona

Fire ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Catrin M. Edgeley ◽  
Jack T. Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Public Perceptions ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Wildland Urban Interface ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Literature Highlight ◽  
Wildfire Season

COVID-19 has complicated wildfire management and public safety for the 2020 fire season. It is unclear whether COVID-19 has impacted the ability of residents in the wildland–urban interface to prepare for and evacuate from wildfire, or the extent to which residents feel their household’s safety has been affected. Several areas with high wildfire risk are also experiencing record numbers of COVID-19 cases, including the state of Arizona in the southwestern United States. We conducted a mixed-mode survey of households in close proximity to two recent wildfires in rural Arizona to better understand whether residents living in the wildland–urban interface perceive COVID-19 as a factor in wildfire safety. Preliminary data suggest that the current challenges around collective action to address wildfire risk may be further exacerbated due to COVID-19, and that the current pandemic has potentially widened existing disparities in household capacity to conduct wildfire risk mitigation activities in the wildland–urban interface. Proactive planning for wildfire has also increased perceived ability to practice safe distancing from others during evacuation, highlighting the benefits that household planning for wildfire can have on other concurrent hazards. Parallels in both the wildfire and pandemic literature highlight vast opportunities for future research that can expand upon and advance our findings.

Complexity of homeowner wildfire risk mitigation: an integration of hazard theories

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonita L. McFarlane ◽  
Tara K. McGee ◽  
Hilary Faulkner
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Threat Assessment ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Perceived Effectiveness ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Wildfire Risk

Each year wildfire affects communities in Canada, resulting in evacuations and, in some cases, loss of homes. Several Canadian wildfire management agencies have initiated mitigation programs aimed at reducing wildfire risk. Successful wildfire mitigation involves both community-level and homeowner action. This paper examines factors that influence wildfire mitigation by homeowners. We draw upon the general hazards and wildfire management literature to develop and test a theoretical model for homeowner wildfire mitigation that includes perceived risk, an evaluation of threat significance and the influence of perceived costs and benefits of mitigation. We used a mail survey to collect data from 1265 residents in six interface communities in the province of Alberta. Results showed a high level of completion for most mitigation activities. A structural equation model provided support for the hypothesis that the evaluation of threat involves weighing the negative effects of mitigation on homeowners’ feelings of connectedness to nature and the cost of mitigation with the positive influences of fear, a sense of responsibility and perceived effectiveness of mitigation. Considering the total effects, threat assessment had the greatest effect on mitigation by homeowners, followed by perceived effectiveness of mitigation in reducing damage and not having financial resources for mitigation.

scholarly journals Transcending Parallel Play: Boundary Spanning for Collective Action in Wildfire Management

Fire ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Emily Jane Davis ◽  
Heidi Huber-Stearns ◽  
Antony S. Cheng ◽  
Meredith Jacobson
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Ability To Act ◽  
New Thinking ◽  
Parallel Play

A key challenge in the United States is how to manage wildfire risk across boundaries and scales, as roles, responsibilities, and ability to act are distributed among actors in ways that do not always incentivize collective action. In this review paper, we provide several conceptual contributions to the understanding of wildfire management through the application of boundary spanning frameworks. This includes: (1) a characterization of four major types of boundaries in managing wildfire risk; (2) a review of major boundary spanning features and frameworks that integrate them; and (3) consideration of current and potential applications of the boundary spanning construct to the domain of wildfire management. Our goal is to advance knowledge of how actors in this arena may overcome “parallel play” to more collectively address wildfire risk. We generate new thinking about wildfire management, and offer potential implications and questions for future research, policy, and management.

scholarly journals Wildfire Risk Zonation of Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 155-173
Author(s):  
Bikram Singh ◽  
Menuka Maharjan ◽  
Mahendra Singh Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Moderate Risk ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Risk Zone ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Risk Zonation ◽  
Risk Zones ◽  
Physiographic Regions

Wildfire is one of the major destructive hazards which have significant effect on environment, society, and economy. However, limited studies have been carried out on spatial and temporal distribution of wildfire, especially in developing countries like Nepal. The objective of this study was to assess wildfire risk zonation of Sudurpaschim province of Nepal by applying Remote Sensing and GIS. Sudurpaschim province has been divided into four fire risk zones i.e., high, moderate, low and no risk zone. In Sudurpaschim province, about 30.84% area falls under high fire risk zone followed by moderate risk (58.30%), low risk (10.13%) and no risk (0.72%). Among five physiographic regions, Siwalik region is more susceptible to fire due to various factors, such as deciduous forest, topography, terrain, etc. From 2012 to 2019, about 44,342 fire incidences were reported in this province. Approximately 88% wildfire was recorded in spring, the season being dry. Overall, geographically Siwalik region and temporarily spring season should be in high priority for developing and implementing wildfire management activities in Sudurpaschim province.

scholarly journals Satellite-Observed Soil Moisture as an Indicator of Wildfire Risk

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaison Thomas Ambadan ◽  
Matilda Oja ◽  
Ze’ev Gedalof ◽  
Aaron A. Berg
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Hot Spots ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Wildfire Occurrence ◽  
Coarse Resolution ◽  
Soil Moisture Data ◽  
Ocean Salinity ◽  
Risk Areas

Wildfires are a concerning issue in Canada due to their immediate impact on people’s lives, local economy, climate, and environment. Studies have shown that the number of wildfires and affected areas in Canada has increased during recent decades and is a result of a warming and drying climate. Therefore, identifying potential wildfire risk areas is increasingly an important aspect of wildfire management. The purpose of this study is to investigate if remotely sensed soil moisture products from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite can be used to identify potential wildfire risk areas for better wildfire management. We used the National Fire Database (NFDB) fire points and polygons to group the wildfires according to ecozone classifications, as well as to analyze the SMOS soil moisture data over the wildfire areas, between 2010–2017, across fourteen ecozones in Canada. Timeseries of 3-day, 5-day, and 7-day soil moisture anomalies prior to the onset of each wildfire occurrence were examined over the ecozones individually. Overall, the results suggest, despite the coarse-resolution, SMOS soil moisture products are potentially useful in identifying soil moisture anomalies where wildfire hot-spots may occur.

Wildfire risk mitigation and recreational property owners in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park-Alberta

2016 ◽  
Vol 92 (01) ◽  
pp. 66-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis J. Price ◽  
Bonita McFarlane ◽  
Van Lantz
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Action Awareness ◽  
Property Owners ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Mitigation Action ◽  
High Level

Recreational property (cottage) owners represent a growing segment of population living at the wildland–urban interface. Land managers may find it particularly difficult to engage these landowners in wildfire management initiatives. This paper examines support for wildfire management, perceived wildfire risk and wildfire mitigation actions among cottage owners in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park-Alberta. Data were collected from 165 cottage owners using a mail survey. Results showed that these owners had a high level of support for fuel reductions on the landscape and a high level of interest in participating in a cooperative wildfire mitigation program; they had taken action to reduce their risk. However, they seemed reluctant to do substantial tree pruning, or to install fire-resistant siding or screen eaves, decks and vents. Results found that perceived risk was not correlated with mitigation action. Awareness, perceived effectiveness of firefighters, days spent at the cottage and value of the cottage were correlated positively with mitigation action, whereas perceived efficacy, aesthetic effects and cost of mitigation were correlated negatively. These findings suggest that mitigation programs for cottage owners may be effective by providing public education on the efficacy of mitigation, lessening the effects of impediments such as cost, and alleviating concerns about aesthetics.

Spatial dataset of probabilistic wildfire risk components for the conterminous United States

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen C. Short ◽  
Mark A. Finney ◽  
Joe H. Scott ◽  
Julie W. Gilbertson-Day ◽  
Isaac C. Grenfell
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Spatial Dataset

Wildfire risk and hazard: procedures for the first approximation

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. Calkin ◽  
Alan A. Ager ◽  
Julie Gilbertson-Day
Keyword(s):  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
First Approximation

scholarly journals Application of the Socio-Ecological System Framework to Forest Fire Risk Management: A Systematic Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Vigna ◽  
Angelo Besana ◽  
Elena Comino ◽  
Alessandro Pezzoli
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Wildfire Risk ◽  
Starting Point

Although increasing concern about climate change has raised awareness of the fundamental role of forest ecosystems, forests are threatened by human-induced impacts worldwide. Among them, wildfire risk is clearly the result of the interaction between human activities, ecological domains, and climate. However, a clear understanding of these interactions is still needed both at the global and local levels. Numerous studies have proven the validity of the socioecological system (SES) approach in addressing this kind of interdisciplinary issue. Therefore, a systematic review of the existing literature on the application of SES frameworks to forest ecosystems is carried out, with a specific focus on wildfire risk management. The results demonstrate the existence of different methodological approaches that can be grouped into seven main categories, which range from qualitative analysis to quantitative spatially explicit investigations. The strengths and limitations of the approaches are discussed, with a specific reference to the geographical setting of the works. The research suggests the importance of local community involvement and local knowledge consideration in wildfire risk management. This review provides a starting point for future research on forest SES and a supporting tool for the development of a sustainable wildfire risk adaptation and mitigation strategy.

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