Risk perceptions and behavioral context: U.S. Forest Service fire management professionals

Society & Natural Resources: An International Journal
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Abstract

Fire managers from the U.S. Forest Service were surveyed to determine which decision factors most strongly influenced their fire‐risk decisions. Safety, the resources at risk, public opinion, and the reliability of information were important influences on these decisions. This research allowed direct comparison between fire managers’ perceptions of factor importance and how their fire‐risk decisions changed in response to those factors. These risk decisions were highly responsive to changes in context (an escaped wildfire decision versus a prescribed burning decision) as well as to changing factors. The results demonstrate the utility of using scenarios in risk research and the vital importance of context in studying risk‐taking behavior. Research which attempts to remove risk decisions from their real‐world context may well distort the nature of risk‐taking behavior.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Risk perceptions and behavioral context: U.S. Forest Service fire management professionals
Series title Society & Natural Resources: An International Journal
DOI 10.1080/08941928809380657
Volume 1
Issue 1
Year Published 1989
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Publisher location London
Description 16 p.
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Society & Natural Resources: An International Journal
First page 253
Last page 268
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