High Park Fire Evacuees: Wildfire Experience, Attitudes and

Mitigation Efforts

Patty ChampU.S. Forest Service

Rocky Mountain Research Stationpchamp@fs.fed.us

Hannah Brenkert-SmithUniversity of Colorado

Institute of Behavioral Science

Why do homeowners choose (or not) to mitigate wildfire risk on their

property?2007 Survey of Homeowners who live in fire prone areas

• Random sample of Boulder & Larimer County WUI households• Survey developed in collaboration with Boulder and Larimer

County wildfire experts.• Funding for study from Boulder & Larimer Counties• 747 completed household surveys (728 usable)

2010 Fire seasonFourmile Canyon Fire

• 6-16 Sept • 6179 acres• 169 structures• 4086 parcels

Reservoir Road Fire• 12-16 Sept• 710 acres• 350 homes evacuated• 2 structures

Peewink Mtn Fire• 17 Sept• 10 acres• 465 homes evacuated

Dome Fire• 29 October• 144 acres• 1600 homes evacuated

In addition:

• Wildfire education programs at state, county, and local fire department levels

• Community Wildfire Protection Plans• New residents moving to WUI areas of

Colorado

Fall 2010

• Re-survey respondents to 2007 survey • Changes in attitudes? Changes in efforts to

reduce wildfire risk?• Today…describe the responses to 2007 and

2010 surveys of the individuals who were evacuated by the High Park Fire (n=37)

Fire Experience

2007 2010Fire and/or smoke damage at current residence 2% 6%Evacuated or prepared to evacuate 35% 36%

How much do you think the following factors contributes to the chances of a wildfire damaging your

property in the next 5 years?

“Contributes a lot”2007 2010

Human activity 62% 73%Vegetation on neighbors’ properties * 50% 69%Weather-related natural starts 76% 68%Vegetation on your property * 30% 58%Physical characteristics of your property other than vegetation (steep inclines) * 24% 53%

How concerned are you about wildfire damaging or affecting….

2007 2010Public lands near your home 30% 41%Your property/landscape * 22% 40%Your house or other buildings on your property 35% 35%Your health or family’s health 14% 22%Your ability to earn income * 3% 16%

If there is a wildfire on your property, how likely is it that….

Very likely2007 2010

Your trees and landscape would burn 72% 71%There would be some smoke damage to your house 56% 58%The fire department would save your home 57% 57%Your neighbors’ homes would be damaged or destroyed * 0% 47%Your home would be destroyed 19% 27%

Vegetative Fuels reduction measures

Dspace30: Limb, Thin, Branch, Leaf, Mow

Dspace100: Limb, Thin, Branch, Leaf, Mow

10

Structural mitigation measuresStructural: Roof, siding, stairs, deck, rock perimeter, screens, number

11

High Park Fire evacuees report taking action to reduce wildfire risk

Number of Actions (12 possible) 2007 20101-3 19% 13%4-9 57% 57%10-12 24% 30%Total 100% 100%

Source of information about wildfire risk

Received wildfire information

High confidence in accuracy of info.

Source 2007 2010 2007 2010

Volunteer Fire Dept 57% 68% 77% 78%

Media 62% 57% 18% 33%

Neighborhood group 40% 43% 44% 35%

County Wildfire Specialist 19% 24% 67% 76%

Colorado State Forest Service 30% 32% 53% 71%

What does this all mean?

• Counter to some conventional wisdom….The individuals affected by the High Park Fire

were not ignorant about the risk.Between 2007 and 2010 an increased awareness

of the wildfire risk associated with vegetation on own and neighbors’ properties

They were taking action to mitigate the riskNot all sources of information about wildfire risk

are equal