Public experiences and perceptions with wildfire and flooding, A case study of the 2019 Museum fire

Webinar recording.

Description: The greater Flagstaff area in northern Arizona has experienced multiple wildfires in recent years that have resulted in post-wildfire flooding. These events galvanized collaborative efforts to reduce hazardous fuels on steep slopes and implement flood mitigation improvements around the city and in the municipal watershed. In this presentation, the 2019 Museum Fire provides a case study for better understanding how the cascading disturbances of wildfire and post-wildfire flooding, which can be further compounded by adjacent disturbances like monsoon-related flooding, impact the public and how residents are informed of, perceive, and respond to these risks. This webinar examines findings from two household surveys: one conducted in 2019 immediately following the Museum Fire, and a follow-up survey conducted in 2022 following flooding associated with the burn scar and monsoonal events. The research presented provides insights into public experiences with and perceptions of wildfires, post-wildfire flooding, and forest management more broadly over time, and offers suggestions for improving the exchange of information between and among agencies and the public to facilitate mutual understanding and enhance adaptive capacity for future wildfires and flood events.

Presenters: Melanie Colavito, PhD, Director of Policy and Communications, ERI at NAU; Niki vonHedemann, PhD, Senior Research Coordinator and Human Dimensions Specialist, ERI at NAU; and Catrin Edgeley, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Forestry at NAU