Experience of Community Residents in a Fire-Prone Ecosystem: A Case Study on the San Bernardino National Forest

摘要

This report presents results from a study of San Bernardino National Forest community residents experiences with and perceptions of fire, fire management, and the Forest Service. Using self-administered surveys and focus group discussions, we found that participants had personal experiences with fire, were concerned about fire, and felt knowledgeable about effective fire management. Consideration of future consequences, a measure of time orientation, was not found to be related to beliefs about and reactions to wildfire. Trust in the Forest Service was related to a number of fire-associated attitudes. Findings help shed light on the experiences of residents living in fire-prone communities and highlight the importance of trust in understanding public perceptions about fire management. Key words: Fire-prone communities, San Bernardino National Forest, fire management, trust, salient values similarity.