A case-study of wildland fire management knowledge exchange: the barriers and facilitators in the development and integration of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Background Among the most successful examples of Knowledge Exchange (KE) between researchers and practitioners in Canadian wildland fire management is the development and integration of the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS) into operational use. Aims Our aim was to identify key factors for this success. Methods Through a case study, we investigated historical KE of two CFFDRS components in Ontario, Canada. We held semi-structured interviews with principal Canadian Forest Service researchers and Ontario fire management practitioners active in development and implementation of CFFDRS from the late 1960s to 2010s. Key results The importance of both formal and informal facilitators to support KE was emphasised. Conclusion Participants were most likely to associate successful implementation with informal facilitators such as personal relationships, shared field-based experiences, and opportunities for dialogue between researchers and practitioners. Critical to success were the credibility and soft skills of the knowledge brokers, early engagement, and consideration of training needs for end users in the design of products. Implications This identification of factors that facilitated or hindered the development and implementation of CFFDRS can enhance the impact of research that will help wildland fire management deal with its present and future challenges.