Citation

Strahan K, Gilbert J. Fire (Basel) 2021; 4(1): e4.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publications Institute)

DOI

10.3390/fire4010004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Delaying protective action decision making in wildfire is inconsistent with fire authorities' advice and is associated with fatalities. A comprehensive understanding of why at-risk residents wait and see whether they will evacuate from a wildfire or remain to shelter or defend can better inform wildfire safety policy and practice. This systematic review reports the findings of 40 papers selected from 255 identified through a search of papers in Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar published between 1995 and December 2020 in English. This review establishes the extent of wait and see behaviour; grounds for concern for such behaviour; reasons protective action is delayed; the influence of information and warnings; relevance of gender and other characteristics; delay by those who defend their property; and policy implications. This review also details 11 seminal studies that capture much of the evidence on the delay of protective action in wildfire.

Language: en

Keywords

‘wait and see’; bushfire; decision making; delay; evacuation; policy; protective action; systematic review; wildfire