Wildfire Risk and Climate Change: The Influence on Homeowner Mitigation Behavior in the Wildland–Urban Interface

Abstract

This project examines the sensitivity of behavior and attitudes regarding wildfire risk to perceptions of drought and climate change impacts, and documents the current state of homeowner risk mitigation effort in Clear Creek County, Colorado. Survey results demonstrate that homeowners have a fairly accurate understanding of the impact of climate change and other environmental risk factors, and that the majority have undertaken the most obvious risk mitigation investments, such as pruning vegetation around the home. Perception of climate and weather as risk factors has a significant impact on risk perception and concern about wildfire but is not a determinant of advanced mitigation effort. Further mitigation effort primarily relates to the value homeowners place on amenities associated with their house and their perception of the impact of neighboring lands mitigation.