Abstract
Wildland fire and associated management efforts are dominant topics in natural resource fields. Smoke from fires can be a nuisance and pose serious health risks and aggravate pre-existing health conditions. When it results in reduced visibility near roadways, smoke can also pose hazardous driving conditions and reduce the scenic value of vistas. Communicating about smoke, whether in the preparation phases before a planned burn or during a wildfire event, can enable those at risk to make informed decisions to minimize their exposure to smoke or choose alternate activities that mitigate smoke completely. To date, very little research has been completed on the social aspects of smoke, such as communication or public perceptions. Here, we present findings from an exploratory study that examined challenges and opportunities related to communication (within agencies or to the public) for management of smoke from wildland fires. Interviews were conducted in California, Oregon, Montana, and South Carolina among a purposive sample of individuals, who are involved in fire or smoke management. Findings indicate that smoke poses several challenges to management agencies. Findings also provide insight into potential strategies to address such challenges by improving communication in both inter- and intra-agency situations as well as with members of the public. In particular, prioritizing fire and smoke-related communication within agencies, allocating agency resources specifically for training in communication and outreach endeavors, taking advantage of existing resources including informal social networks among the public, and building long-term relationships both between agencies and with the public were viewed as effective.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agee JK, Skinner CN (2005) Basic principles of forest fuel reduction treatments. For Ecol Manage 211:83–96. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2005.01.034
Alaszewski A (2005) Risk communication: identifying the importance of social context. Health Risk Soc 7:101–105
Almaguer M, Johnson MA (2013) Yosemite wildfire blankets region with choking smoke. U.S. News on NCBNEWS.com. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/28/20218572-yosemite-wildfire-blankets-region-with-choking-smoke?lite. Accessed 30 Sept 2013
Berg BL, Lune H (2012) Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Allyn & Bacon, Boston
Blanchard B, Ryan RL (2007) Managing the wildland–urban interface in the northeast: perceptions of fire risk and hazard reduction strategies. North J Appl For 24:203–208
Bowman DMJS, Johnston FH (2005) Wildlfire smoke, fire management, and human health. EcoHealth 2(1):76–80
Brunson MW, Evans J (2005) Badly burned? Effects of an escaped prescribed burn on social acceptability of wildland fuels treatments. J For 103:134–138
Creswell J (2013) Qualitative inquiry and research design: choosing among five approaches, 3rd edn. Sage, Thousand Oaks
Jacobson SK, Monroe MC, Marynowski S (2001) Fire at the wildland interface: the influence of experience and mass media on public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior intentions. Wildl Soc Bull 29:929–937
Kneeshaw K, Vaske JJ, Bright AD, Absher JD (2004) Acceptability norms toward fire management in three national forests. Environ Behav 36:592–612
Kocki I, Champ PA, Loomis JB, Donovan GH (2012) Valuing mortality impacts of smoke exposure from major southern California wildfires. J For Econ 18:61–75. doi:10.1016/j.jfe.2011.10.002
Loomis JB, Bair LS, Gonzalez-Caban A (2001) Prescribed fire and public support: knowledge gained, attitudes changed in Florida. J For 99:18–22
Manfredo MJ, Fishbein M, Haas GE, Watson AE (1990) Attitudes toward prescribed fire policies: the public is widely divided in its support. J For 88:19–23
McCaffrey SM (2004) Fighting fire with education: what is the best way to reach out to homeowners? J For 102:12–19
Mehaffey KC, Robbins J (2012) Air quality: experts recommend precautions, not panic. The Wenatchee World. http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/sep/21/air-quality/. Accessed 30 Sept 2013
Mitchell K (2012) Colorado buried under smoke from Wyoming, Utah wildfires. The Denver Post. http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_21007984/colorado-buried-under-smoke-from-wyoming-utah-wildfires. Accessed 30 Sept 2013
McCaffrey SM, Olsen, CS (2012) Research perspectives on the public and fire management: a synthesis of current social science on eight essential questions. General Technical Report NRS-104. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Newtown Square
Patton MQ (2002) Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Sage, Thousand Oaks
Prestemon JP, Pye JM, Butry DT, Holmes TP, Mercer DE (2002) Understanding broadscale wildfire risks in a human-dominated landscape. For Sci 48:685–693
Richardson LA, Champ PA, Loomis JB (2012) The hidden cost of wildfires: economic valuation of health effects of wildfire smoke exposure in Southern California. J For Econ 18:14–35. doi:10.1016/j.jfe.2011.05.002
Robson C (2011) Real world research: a resource for users of social research methods in applied settings. Wiley, West Sussex
Scott B (2012) Huge Montana fires bringing smoke to Wyoming. K2 Radio. http://k2radio.com/huge-montana-fires-bringing-smoke-to-wyoming/. Accessed 30 Sept 2013
Seidman I (2006) Interviewing as qualitative research: a guide for researchers in education and the social sciences, 3rd edn. Teachers College Press, New York
Shindler B, Gordon R (2005) A practical guide to citizen-agency partnerships: public outreach strategies for fire and fuel management. Oregon State University, Corvallis
Shindler B, Toman E (2003) Fuel reduction strategies in forest communities. J For 101:8–15
Steelman T, McCaffrey S (2011) What is limiting more flexible fire management—public or agency pressure? J For 109:454–461
Steelman TA, McCaffrey S (2013) Best practices in risk and crisis communication: implications for natural hazards management. Nat Hazards 65:683–705
Strauss AL, Corbin J (1990) Basics of qualitative research: grounded theory procedures and techniques. Sage, Newbury Park
Taylor JG, Gillette SC, Hodgson RW, Downing JL (2005) Communicating with wildland interface communities during wildfire. Open File Report 2005-1061. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, Reston
Thapa B, Holland SM, Absher JD (2004) The relationship between wildfires and tourist behaviors in Florida: an exploratory study. In: Tierney PT, Chavez, DJ (eds). Proceedings of the 4th social aspects and recreation research symposium, San Francisco, pp 154–161
Toman E, Shindler B (2006) Wildland fire and fuel management: principles for effective communication. In: McCaffrey SM (ed). The public and wildland fire management: social science findings for management. General Technical Report NRS-1. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Newtown Square, pp 111–123
Toman E, Shindler B, Brunson M (2006) Fire and fuel management communication strategies: citizen evaluations of agency outreach activities. Soc Nat Resour 19:321–336
Weisshaupt BR, Carroll MS, Blatner KA, Robinson WD, Jakes PJ (2005) Acceptability of smoke from prescribed forest burning in the northern inland west: a focus group approach. J For 103:189–193
Winter GJ, Vogt C, Fried JS (2002) Fuel treatments at the wildland–urban interface: common concerns in diverse regions. J For 100:15–21
Yin RK (2009) Case study research: design and methods, 4th edn. Sage Publications Inc., Los Angeles
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the interview participants for their contributions to this research, Jeff Shindler and Devyani Singh for their assistance during the interview process, and Keith Olsen for the cartographic image. The Joint Fire Science Program and the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center provided financial support for this research.
Compliance with Ethical Standards
This research included human subjects. It was approved by the Oregon State University Institutional Review Board, and complies with current laws in the United States.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olsen, C.S., Mazzotta, D.K., Toman, E. et al. Communicating About Smoke from Wildland Fire: Challenges and Opportunities for Managers. Environmental Management 54, 571–582 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0312-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0312-0