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Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland / ROSIE WATTS

Swansea University Author: ROSIE WATTS

DOI (Published version): 10.23889/SUThesis.67749

Abstract

Wildfires pose significant risk to the environment and society of Great Britain, a threat that remains largely unrecognized by the public. The sheer number of vegetation fires, although mostly small, exert significant pressure on Fire and Rescue Services and environmental management organisations. T...

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Published: Swansea University, Wales, UK 2024
Institution: Swansea University
Degree level: Doctoral
Degree name: Ph.D
Supervisor: Halfacree, K., Doerr, S., and Santín, C.
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67749
first_indexed 2024-09-19T14:52:38Z
last_indexed 2024-11-25T14:20:45Z
id cronfa67749
recordtype RisThesis
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spelling 2024-09-19T16:15:17.1903286 v2 67749 2024-09-19 Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland 460273191c5adfdbe2ccf3d6381e3c6f ROSIE WATTS ROSIE WATTS true false 2024-09-19 Wildfires pose significant risk to the environment and society of Great Britain, a threat that remains largely unrecognized by the public. The sheer number of vegetation fires, although mostly small, exert significant pressure on Fire and Rescue Services and environmental management organisations. They present unique challenges, including being an emerging and under-researched issue.This exploratory research project aimed to address underexplored areas of the public’s understanding of local wildfire hazards and ascertain the relevance to them. Given the highly contextual nature of wildfires, a case study approach was employed, encompassing three locations: the South Wales Valleys, Dorset in England, and the Highlands in Scotland. It collected survey data on risk perception and awareness, as well as attitudes towards prescribed fire.Underscoring the perceptions of risk was local knowledge, where many residents were strongly connected to the locality. Across locations there was a characteristic subgroup with significant concern regarding wildfire in their area, and then a smaller subgroup concerned for themselves personally. The predominant sentiment was concern for “other’s” and typically the non-human. However, despite a perceived lack of direct impacts, consequences were not entirely negated, through care for the area and nature; this indirect concern presents an avenue for fostering engagement. Notably, the study also identified a group that exhibited little or no concern, with some disputing the applicability of the term "wildfire" to the British context. Regarding acceptability of fire there was mostly partial acceptance, although there are some stronger views in favour particularly where there is a perceived necessity or understanding of the benefits. The disagreement and uncertainty demonstrated a lack of knowledge of outcomes and conflation with wildfire phenomena. Overall, the findings highlight gaps in knowledge and the need for localised information to establish greater relevance of risks to the public. E-Thesis Swansea University, Wales, UK Wildfire, Hazards, Prescribed fire, Perceptions 9 8 2024 2024-08-09 10.23889/SUThesis.67749 A selection of content is redacted or is partially redacted from this thesis to protect sensitive and personal information. COLLEGE NANME COLLEGE CODE Swansea University Halfacree, K., Doerr, S., and Santín, C. Doctoral Ph.D ESRC Doctoral Training Grant ESRC Doctoral Training Grant 2024-09-19T16:15:17.1903286 2024-09-19T15:20:48.2654357 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography ROSIE WATTS 1 67749__31401__047b94356e46445ba61ea77691e27fa7.pdf 2023_Watts_R.final.67749.pdf 2024-09-19T15:51:46.3126711 Output 11714175 application/pdf E-Thesis – open access true Copyright: The Author, Rosie Watts, 2023 true eng
title Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
spellingShingle Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
ROSIE WATTS
title_short Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
title_full Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
title_fullStr Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
title_full_unstemmed Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
title_sort Public perceptions of wildfire in Great Britain: case studies from Wales, England and Scotland
author_id_str_mv 460273191c5adfdbe2ccf3d6381e3c6f
author_id_fullname_str_mv 460273191c5adfdbe2ccf3d6381e3c6f_***_ROSIE WATTS
author ROSIE WATTS
author2 ROSIE WATTS
format E-Thesis
publishDate 2024
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.23889/SUThesis.67749
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description Wildfires pose significant risk to the environment and society of Great Britain, a threat that remains largely unrecognized by the public. The sheer number of vegetation fires, although mostly small, exert significant pressure on Fire and Rescue Services and environmental management organisations. They present unique challenges, including being an emerging and under-researched issue.This exploratory research project aimed to address underexplored areas of the public’s understanding of local wildfire hazards and ascertain the relevance to them. Given the highly contextual nature of wildfires, a case study approach was employed, encompassing three locations: the South Wales Valleys, Dorset in England, and the Highlands in Scotland. It collected survey data on risk perception and awareness, as well as attitudes towards prescribed fire.Underscoring the perceptions of risk was local knowledge, where many residents were strongly connected to the locality. Across locations there was a characteristic subgroup with significant concern regarding wildfire in their area, and then a smaller subgroup concerned for themselves personally. The predominant sentiment was concern for “other’s” and typically the non-human. However, despite a perceived lack of direct impacts, consequences were not entirely negated, through care for the area and nature; this indirect concern presents an avenue for fostering engagement. Notably, the study also identified a group that exhibited little or no concern, with some disputing the applicability of the term "wildfire" to the British context. Regarding acceptability of fire there was mostly partial acceptance, although there are some stronger views in favour particularly where there is a perceived necessity or understanding of the benefits. The disagreement and uncertainty demonstrated a lack of knowledge of outcomes and conflation with wildfire phenomena. Overall, the findings highlight gaps in knowledge and the need for localised information to establish greater relevance of risks to the public.
published_date 2024-08-09T08:33:58Z
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score 11.316077

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