Creating Defensible Space in the Wildland-urban Interface: the Role of Basic Beliefs about Forest and Wildfire Management

We examined the effect that basic beliefs about natural resources and fire management have on an individual’s decision to create defensible space around his or her residence in the urban—wildland interface. Using data from a mailback questionnaire, respondents in north central Minnesota were clustered by basic value—laden beliefs toward forest and fire management and compared across a number of perceptions and behaviors related to creating defensible space around residences. Clusters differed in attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as they relate to creating defensible space in the urban—wildland interface. In addition, relative effects of these perceptions on behavior intention and behavior differed across cluster. Implications lie in understanding differences in motivations and reasons for support of strategies for managing fires near the urban— wildland interface which will contribute to an improved integration of land management and public concerns and interests.