Wildland fire in the southeast: Negotiating guidelines for defensible space

Abstract

Wildland fire is becoming a concern for residents in many eastern states as fuel loads, weather patterns, and population growth increase risk at the wildland-urban interface. Some messages about reducing risk, however, are based on western wildfire information and are seen as inappropriate by wildland fire communicators in Florida. This case study describes the process of reaching agreement on landscape modifications that reduce the risk of wildland fire for interface residents in the Southeast. The melding of various perspectives through a negotiated process helped create product that meets a need in this fire-prone state.