Citation

Oswald BP, Brennan A, Williams PS, Darville R, McCaffrey S. Int. J. Wildland Fire 2019; 28(1): 25-34.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, International Association of Wildland Fire, Fire Research Institute, Publisher CSIRO Publishing)

DOI

10.1071/WF18138

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Netherlands has a growing threat of wildfires due to warmer and drier weather patterns. The purpose of this study was to identify public perceptions towards wildland fire preparedness in the forested Veluwe region of the country to aid those managers who would be affected by wildland fires to better plan for and manage fire events. Over 500 surveys were distributed to assess public opinions and perceptions regarding wildland fire and public expectations of government agencies in the event of a wildfire. Owing to the lack of any significant historical context of wildfires, the assumption was that the Dutch do not see fire as an immediate threat.

FINDINGS from this survey revealed that visitors and residents of the Veluwe region are aware of the wildfire problem in the Netherlands, but see wildfires as an immediate threat to nature (preferred term for most vegetated areas in the Netherlands) rather than themselves. Respondents to this survey also have high expectations of government agencies to inform them about wildfires.

Additional keywords : fire behaviour, human dimensions, safety, wildland fire.

Language: en