Social science to advance wildfire adaptation in the southwestern United States: a review and future research directions

Abstract

Background Social science that seeks to advance wildfire adaptation in the southwestern US states of Arizona and New Mexico remains underdeveloped in comparison with other regions in the USA. Aim To identify key themes in the existing social science literature on wildfire in the Southwest and to determine future research needs that can inform more strategic adaptation across scales and contexts. Methods This article presents an in-depth literature review, organising findings using the Fire Adapted Communities Framework. Key results Research on social aspects of wildfire in the southwestern USA has continued to diversify and broaden in scope over time, but some foundational lines of inquiry (such as public support for prescribed fire) have become outdated while other areas of study (such as fire prevention) have not been explored at all. Conclusions Opportunities to advance wildfire social science efforts in the Southwest are abundant and well positioned to inform social understandings in other regions and countries. Implications Researchers wishing to conduct social science research related to wildfire in the Southwest should seek to update and diversify knowledge in this field both through strategic selection of study sites and populations and via intentional, rigorous research design that acknowledges and elevates the nuances of social interactions with wildfire.

Voluntary uptake of flood insurance in post-fire landscapes: insights from household surveys after two wildfires in northern Arizona

“…Questions used here are primarily binary, multiple choice, or required the estimation of dollar amounts. Survey instruments and additional methodological context are available in Combrink et al (2013), Colavito et al (2021Colavito et al ( , 2023, and Edgeley andColavito (2020, 2022).…”

“…Wildfires remove vegetation and can cause soils to become hydrophobic, transforming typical rainfall events into flash floods (Shakesby and Doerr 2006). Downslope communities must act rapidly to address this emergent risk in the often short and unpredictable window between a wildfire's ignition and the first forecast precipitation -a challenge that requires substantive communication, coordination, and resources to minimize damages across jurisdictional boundaries (Youberg et al 2019, Burnett andEdgeley 2023). Purchase of flood insurance by private property owners within this post-fire window is commonly recommended as one action in a suite of approaches to mitigate potential impacts as property damage or loss associated with wildfires rise (FEMA 2020, Buechi et al 2021).…”

“…Little is known about who purchases flood insurance in post-fire environments, how long they renew coverage, or the experiences those households have making claims associated with post-fire flood impacts de Vet 2021, Burnett andEdgeley 2023). The costs of these impacts are diverse and often go unaccounted in traditional estimates of fire and flooding costs where suppression expenditure is prioritized (Hjerpe et al 2023).…”

“…While the flood and wildfire insurance literature investigating related human behaviors and decisionmaking is growing, few efforts have been made to understand whether they translate to post-fire flood environments, or the extent to which those behaviors vary across populations following different wildfires. Such research is central to future risk communication and recovery strategies in places like the western US where social understandings of post-fire flooding are in demand (Edgeley andColavito 2022, Edgeley 2023). This research note presents an opportunistic analysis of three surveys in post-fire landscapes with the intent to establish a foundation for future research, focusing on the following research questions:…”

“…Edgeley and Colavito 2020, 2022, Colavito et al 2021, 2023, and Hjerpe et al 2023 for additional data reporting and analyses).…”