Caring About Wildfire in a Place Where It Is Not a Salient Threat

Keywords: wildfire, pennsylvania
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Monday
Session Start / End Time: 2/28/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/28/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 45

Abstract

Much of the literature in the social science of wildland fire is motivated by the implicit question “why don’t people who live in a place where fire is a salient threat do more to protect themselves?” This paper takes the inverse approach, asking “why do people who live in a place where fire is not a salient threat nevertheless put effort into protecting themselves?” Between its humid climate, dense settlement pattern, and modest historical fire regime, Pennsylvania is rarely mentioned or studied as a location at risk of wildfire. However, numerous communities across the state have invested significant time in developing Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) or obtaining certification through the national FireWise Communities program. This paper examines these communities in an effort to understand how and why they took such steps and what protection from wildfire means in a Pennsylvania context