Northern Inland West Land/Homeowner Perceptions of Fire Risk and Responsibility in the Wildland-Urban Interface

The issue of sorting through who should bear responsibility for mitigating wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface of the northern Inland West was approached using focus groups. The groups were selected to reflect a variety of stakeholders in the study area population for whom interface issues are relevant. Most participants believed that current forest fuel conditions exist due to human alteration and that changes in forests and the interface are needed to mitigate wildfire risk. Overall the focus group members believed that the government has responsibility for managing forests under its control, but does not “owe” safety to the people who choose to live in the wildland-urban interface; most felt that homeowners must take greater responsibility for having defensible property in order to protect those responsible for wildland and wildfire management.

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