Creating defensible space in the wildland-urban interface: the influence of values on perceptions and behavior

We examined the effect that value orientation to forests and wildland fire management has on an individual's decision to create defensible space around his or her residence in the wildland-urban interface. Using data from a mail-back questionnaire, respondents in north central Minnesota were clustered by basic value-laden beliefs toward forest and wildland fire management and compared across a number of perceptions and behaviors related to creating defensible space around residences. Value orientation groups differed in attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control toward creating defensible space. In addition, relative effects of these perceptions on intention to create defensible space differed across groups. Implications lie in (a) understanding differences in motivations and reasons for support of strategies for managing fires near the wildland-urban interface, (b) developing information designed to address the perspectives of different groups related to creating defensible space, and (c) contributing to an improved integration of land management and public concerns and interests.