Local Perceptions of Fires Risk and Policy Implications in the Hills of Valparaíso, Chile

Abstract

Climate change is increasing the occurrence of natural disasters worldwide, and more frequent and intense fires represent one of the most destructive expressions of this trend. Chile is highly vulnerable to climate change, and fires are a recurrent phenomenon affecting many people each year. To reduce fire risk, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests reducing both exposure and vulnerability through multiple initiatives, which demand increased community engagement. In such a context, this study explores local perceptions of fire in a sample of inhabitants in a wildland-urban interface (WUI) in Valparaiso, a city that is affected by numerous fires each year. The ultimate goal was to identify psychological and community factors that should be taken into consideration to develop prevention plans and safer environments for people living in a context of poverty and social inequity. Using a qualitative approach, 28 interviews were conducted and analyzed following grounded theory principles. Results identified multiple causes, impacts, and characteristics of the problem perceived by people who permanently cohabit with fire risk, showing that for many of them, fire risk is not about the probability of occurrence of a disaster, but a question about when and how the next fire will happen. However, in such a complex scenario, psychological, community, and structural barriers deter people from implementing more effective actions. Conversely, in emergency situations, such barriers are irrelevant and cooperative actions prevail, suggesting the existence of resources and capacities within the community that could lessen exposure and vulnerability if activated on a day-to-day basis. Overall, reducing fire risk cannot be achieved by local communities alone nor without their support. To build, maintain, and consolidate fire prevention actions, it is critical to activate community strengths and cooperation and engage the resources and management capacity of local governments.

Environmental Health Risk Perception: Adaptation of a Population-Based Questionnaire from Latin America

“…Sapiains et al (2020) [28], explored the local perceptions of fire in a sample of inhabitants in an urban-forest interface in Valparaíso, Chile. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 28 people with vulnerable social conditions who lived in high risk areas.…”

Study on Spatial-Distribution Characteristics Based on Fire-Spot Data in Northern China

“…On the one hand, due to the resolution limits when the satellite monitors the fire spots, some non-fires are misjudged as fires, resulting in an increase in the number of fires [47,48]. On the other hand, this may be because the local fire-prevention season is not in February, and people are relatively unaware of fire prevention, so they ignore the importance of fire prevention, causing an increase in the number of fires [49,50].…”

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“…Adoptar un modelo de gobernanza de este tipo, que no importe mecanismos y principios de otras realidades sino que los desarrolle desde «el sur para el sur» (Sapiains et al, 2020), será clave para impulsar las transformaciones que se requieren para enfrentar exitosamente los desafíos que plantea el cambio climático y que deje cabida para formas alternativas y más armónicas de entender la relación entre sociedad y naturaleza, con una mayor centralidad para el cuidado de los ecosistemas y otras formas de vida no humanas, así como una mayor incorporación de las soluciones basadas en la naturaleza.…”