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.