Hurricanes and wildfires: generic characteristics of community adaptive capacity

Abstract

This paper explores the question: to what extent is human community adaptive capacity generic versus hazard-specific? To what extent does having adaptive capacity for one type of disturbance indicate that communities also have adaptive capacity for other types of disturbance that they currently or may someday face? We did in-depth case studies in two Lee County, Florida communities to explore the extent to which residents have adaptive capacity for both hurricanes and wildfires. Although wildfire risk has significantly less salience than hurricane risk for participants, our results suggest that case study communities have built generic elements of adaptive capacity that are generalizable to address both disturbances: (1) interactional and organizational capacities; (2) professional knowledge and extra-local networks; and (3) local knowledge, resources, and skills. We conclude by offering examples of what an ‘all-hazard’ community might look like based on the development of generic adaptive capacity.