As societies evolve, often the most appropriate response to the hazard must also evolve. However, such shifts in appropriate response to a hazard, whether at the individual or at the societal level, are rarely straightforward: Closing the gap between...
Public Perceptions and Tolerance of Smoke from Wildland Fires
Smoke production from fires is a serious land management consideration because it can affect public and firefighter health, impair visibility for road and air traffic, damage property, become a "nuisance," and contribute to air pollution in populated areas that are regulated by EPA air quality standards. However, a very limited amount of research has been conducted specific to public perceptions and tolerance of smoke from wildland fires. Recently the fire management community has called for research to improve the scientific understanding of what factors influence public tolerance of smoke from wildland fires, how people value their personal health and the health of their surrounding ecosystems, especially in circumstances where fire, climate change and increasing populations are interconnecting. This page is dedicated to providing information about current Joint Fire Science Program research specific to public perceptions and tolerance of smoke from wildland fires.
- Key Resources
Person: Steelman, McCaffrey
Year: 2013
A diversity of partners and interests, federal to private, came together to identify current challenges and research in the wildland fire and air quality impacts realm. Meeting management needs and the opportunity to learn from one another’s expert...
Year: 2017
A literature synthesis on public perceptions and tolerance of smoke. Topics explored include personal values and beliefs about smoke, beliefs about the controllability of fire and smoke, agency trust, individual characteristics related to perceptions...
Person: Blades, Hall
Year: 2011
[from the text] Land managers and officials need to understand the diverse public opinions toward smoke from wildland fires; however, a very limited amount of research has been conducted on this topic. Hence, land and fire managers are largely...
Person: Blades, Hall, McCaffrey
Year: 2013
Module 1 of 4 relating to smoke and public attitudes.
Year: 2014
Module 2 of 4 relating to smoke and public attitudes.
Year: 2014
Module 3 of 4 relating to smoke and public attitudes.
Year: 2014
Module 4 of 4 relating to smoke and public attitudes.
Year: 2014
The air in the valley settles like a grey blanket, engulfing residents with lingering smoke for what could be days or weeks. The smoke might come from a wildfire being fought miles away, a prescribed burn, or a neighbor's woodstove or burn pile....
Person: Frederick, Olsen, Toman
Year: 2013
The NWCG Smoke Committee (SmoC) hosted this webinar on June 28, 2011. Four presentations and a discussion period examined public perception and messaging about smoke and fire. The webinar was a key initial step in developing needed messaging about...
Person: McCaffrey, McCarthy, Hall, Olsen
Year: 2011