Back to Search
Start Over
Socio-Ecological Perceptions of Wildfire Management and Effects in Greece
- Source :
- Fire, Vol 4, Iss 18, p 18 (2021), Fire, Volume 4, Issue 2
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2021.
-
Abstract
- Adapting to the growing frequency of catastrophic wildfires in Greece and mitigating their effects is a complex socio-ecological problem. We used an online survey to query more than 100 engaged stakeholders who can potentially influence possible legislation and fire management organizational reform, emphasizing civil protection agencies and research entities. We focused the questionnaire on the importance of different wildfire effects to understand which were considered negative or unacceptable, indifferent, or positive. For fire prevention, we examined the range of acceptance and views on fuel management and fire use activities that are limited in extent or not allowed in Greece. We also examined the beliefs regarding ignition causes and responsibility, in addition to how different policies might reduce wildfire-related problems. The results revealed an emphasis on reforming wildfire management policies to deal with the way society and agencies function and interact, and mitigate the influence of climate change in wildfire frequency and behavior. In addition, respondents had a negative stance towards allowing wildfires to burn for resource objectives and a strong belief that arsonists are behind most ignitions. They also believe the lack of a national cadaster system is a major source of wildfire-related problems. The results indicate little support for fuel treatments, but increased acceptance for the legalization of fire use during firefighting (backfires). This study summarizes current wildfire perceptions in Greece and identifies opportunities and barriers to changes in wildfire governance to improve risk management programs and guide post-fire management and mitigation.
- Subjects :
- controlled burn
Resource (biology)
Civil defense
QC1-999
Fire prevention
Firefighting
Legislation
010501 environmental sciences
Environmental Science (miscellaneous)
01 natural sciences
social survey
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
Environmental planning
Risk management
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Legalization
fire risk governance
040101 forestry
business.industry
Prescribed burn
Physics
Forestry
04 agricultural and veterinary sciences
Building and Construction
fuel management
society
0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries
Business
Safety Research
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 25716255
- Volume :
- 4
- Issue :
- 18
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Fire
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....81bf86b5fda9176212c0e41ce51568ae