Fire and Fuel Management Communication Strategies: Citizen Evaluations of Agency Outreach Activities

ABSTRACT

Wildfire impacts have increased in recent years. In response, public agencies have undertaken measures to reduce forest fuels and improve forest health conditions. To be successful these programs require a supportive local constituency. Research has identified a relationship between public understanding of, and support for, fuel and fire management activities. Correspondingly, in many areas federal agencies have focused their communication strategies on fuel management programs. This article draws on research in adult learning to develop a framework to evaluate citizen reactions to 11 different outreach programs at study locations in Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah. Few differences in citizen reactions were found among study locations, but results suggest interactive formats were more effective than unidirectional methods and are also more consistent with principles of adult learning. However, people were less likely to have participated in interactive activities. Contributions of learning theory principles and the efficacy of individual formats are discussed.

Keywords:

• citizen–agency interactions
• communication strategies
• fire
• learning theory
• public outreach
• unidirectional communication
• wildland fuel

Funding for this research provided by the Joint Fire Science Program, USDA Forest Service North Central Research Station, and the National Fire Plan.

Notes

^a Only respondents who had experience with the program.

^b Significant at p < .05.

^c Significant at p < .01.

^a Significant at p < .05.

^b Significant at p < .01.