Interactions between resident risk perceptions and wildfire risk mitigation: Evidence from simultaneous equations modeling
Fire
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Abstract
Fire science emphasizes that mitigation actions on residential property, including structural hardening and maintaining defensible space, can reduce the risk of wildfire at a home. Accordingly, a rich body of social science literature investigates the determinants of wildfire risk mitigation behaviors of residents living in fire-prone areas. Here, we investigate relationships among wildfire hazards, residents’ risk perceptions, and conditions associated with mitigation actions using a combination of simulated wildfire conditions, household survey responses, and professionally assessed parcel characteristic data. We estimate a simultaneous model of these data that accounts for potential direct feedbacks between risk perceptions and parcel-level conditions. We also compare the use of self-reported versus assessed parcel-level data for estimating these relationships. Our analysis relies on paired survey and assessment data for approximately 2000 homes in western Colorado. Our simultaneous model demonstrates dual-directional interactions between risk perceptions and conditions associated with mitigation actions, with important implications for inference from simpler approaches. In addition to improving general understanding of decision-making about risk and natural hazards, our findings can support the effectiveness of publicly supported programs intended to encourage mitigation to reduce society’s overall wildfire risk.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Interactions between resident risk perceptions and wildfire risk mitigation: Evidence from simultaneous equations modeling |
| Series title | Fire |
| DOI | 10.3390/fire2030046 |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Year Published | 2019 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Contributing office(s) | Fort Collins Science Center |
| Description | 46, 18 p. |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |