Observations and myths about public perceptions of fire and fire management
Beware of the imagined public – many of the narratives surrounding the public and fire are not backed up by data.
Behavior change is more complicated than just providing information – it’s about engagement.
False Narrative #1 – they don’t understand the fire risk; Reality: people know they live in high fire risk areas; risk is a complex and subjective concept – Higher risk perception does not necessarily lead to action. It is a necessary but not sufficient condition
False Narrative #2 – Smokey has taught the public to think all fire is bad; Reality: Consistent evidence that public has a good understanding of fire ecology, including beneficial role of fire. 80% see prescribed fire and thinning as appropriate management tools
False Narrative #3 – people don’t take responsibility; Reality: Strong sense of shared responsibility
False Demographic Narratives – ie. New residents are less aware of fire mitigation What is influential? 1. Knowledge, 2. Trust, 3. Interactive communication
Terms that are not useful: mega-fire, devastating, catastrophic; overly simplistic or binary framing.
This media record is part of a series:
Crown of the Continent Forum 2021
The Crown Managers Partnership partnered with the Northern Rockies Fire Science Network and others to bring you the 2021 Fire in the Crown of the Continent Forum, which was held virtually from March 22nd to March 26th.
The Crown Managers Partnership is a multi-jurisdictional partnership among federal, state, provincial, tribal, and first nation agency managers and universities in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia. Annual forums facilitate networking opportunities, build collaboration, and deepen understanding of common issues in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem.
View the Forum Report (in the Files block) with summaries from presentations and special sessions (published November 2021).