Fire at the Wildland Interface: The Influence of Experience and Mass Media on Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavioral Intentions

Prescribed fire is an important tool to manage some ecosystems, yet this message is a challenge to communicate to the public. The 2,282 wildfires that burned in Florida in 1998, causing $800 million in lost timber and tourist revenues, underscore the impact of wildfire and the importance of using prescribed fire to ensure public safety. To understand public attitudes, knowledge, and behavioral intentions regarding wildland fire, we reviewed newspaper coverage of the 1998 wildfires and surveyed a random sample of 673 rural and suburban Florida residents living in counties experiencing high impacts or low impacts from the fires. The media and the survey respondents reported that the main benefit of prescribed burning was preventing more destructive fires. Media coverage and public opinion differed on the detrimental effects of prescribed burning. The media reported the spread of fire as a primary detriment, whereas the public reported harm to wild animals as the largest problem. Misconceptions about wildlife mortality suggest that simplistic messages of fire prevention campaigns need to be overcome. Proximity to the 1998 wildfires, based on county residence, did not change respondents' views of the benefits and constraints of prescribed burning, or their behavioral intentions toward reducing fire risks in their homes and landscapes. However, experience with prescribed burning and several sociodemographic factors were correlated with positive attitudes and increased knowledge levels.