Social Science Research Group for Wildfire

Wildland fire managers operate in an increasingly severe fire environment. At the same time, they must navigate a complex wildland fire management system in which a dynamic workforce, policy, the economy, culture, and community realities are all at play together in the effort to reduce wildfire risk and keep people safe. 

The Social Science Research Group (SSRG) for Wildfire represents a group of experienced managers in wildland fire and social scientists who are working together on research about social factors that drive the performance of the wildland fire management system. Social Science Research Group for Wildfire members are examining challenges and opportunities to improve how the people and organizations within the fire management system prepare for, respond to, and learn from wildfire. They are studying perspectives, decisions, actions, processes, and policies that influence how the system performs. They are systematically gathering lessons learned as well as developing evidence-backed strategies to work new knowledge into trainings and other existing processes, practices, and policies. Social Science Research Group for Wildfire members also support the implementation phase, when lessons learned and other insights from their research are put into practice during the next fire cycle. 

The aim of Social Science Research Group for Wildfire is to understand how workforce culture, better communication, and learning from experience can support operational efficiency, build collaboration, and prioritize worker well-being and safety.

Photo Credit

USDA Forest Service figure by SSRG

The Social Science Research Group (SSRG) for Wildfire conducts social science research in the field that can, in turn, enhance understanding and inform the implementation of policies and practices before, during, and after hazardous fuels management and wildfire response.

Social Science Research Group for Wildfire Origins: Organized in Response to Agency Needs

The Social Science Research Group (SSRG) for Wildfire officially formed in 2025, but it developed its roots during the agency’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In spring 2020, the unfolding pandemic coincided with the start of fire season, and the Forest Service recognized the need to gather real-time information from its wildland fire management personnel to understand new and imminent challenges and how personnel were adapting. To make this happen, the agency organized a Covid-19 response team, which included several researchers who are now members of the Social Science Research Group for Wildfire. The experience laid the groundwork for the formation of the Social Science Research Group for Wildfire and their approach to research about the wildland fire management system.

Thrust into action, the Covid-19 response team’s work shined new light on how social science research can contribute to an effective wildland fire management system. For example, they observed adaptive innovations in peer-to-peer learning and technology use, the importance of identity and shared values related to the mission of fire management, and a greater awareness of the intersection of policy, decision space, and personal life.

The work of the COVID-19 response team also underscored critical takeaways about how to conduct social science research in the wildland fire management space, including the need for close collaboration among researchers, managers, and employees throughout the process and the need to integrate research insights into practice to ensure safe, effective, and efficient wildland fire response. 

Today, as the Social Science Research Group for Wildfire, the group’s approach to research involves close collaboration and continuous feedback between researchers and managers.

Photo Credit

USDA Forest Service figure by SSRG

Group Objectives

The Social Science Research Group for Wildfire aims to: 

1. Place forest and fire mangers at the forefront of identifying research needs
2. Connect with and study wildland fire communities of practice
3. Provide land managers and fire personnel with meaningful research insights in the form of research briefs and other materials
4. Cultivate communities of practice and/or deepen communication across diverse landscapes and human communities
5. Translate and share peer-reviewed research through accessible media and learning platforms such as websites, webinars, newsletters, conferences, and meetings with Forest Service partners and locally-based communities of practice
6. Train and support a new generation of social science students and early career professionals to research the wildland fire crisis 

Photo Credit

USDA Forest Service photo by David Flores

Participants at the Hazardous Fuels Academy play Pyrotown, an educational game developed by researchers to simulate the experience of developing an integrated fire management strategy.

Research Projects

Currently, Social Science Research Group for Wildfire research projects address issues in the following areas:

Wildland fire workforce and culture

• Understand the motivations and needs of Forest Service firefighters and the role they play in firefighter work-life balance, well-being, and intentions to remain with the agency.
• Understand the social barriers and facilitators to taking on the role of Burn Boss
• Investigate the everyday workplace and workforce organizational barriers to implementing large scale prescribed burning on Forest Service lands.

Photo Credit

USDA Forest Service photo by Emily Haire, Social Climates LLC

Members of the Social Science Research Group for Wildfire review what happened on the Lolo Peak fire during a site visit in 2025. 

Organizational learning

• Assess the quality of lessons and how effectively they are conveyed in learning products for wildland firefighting, such as After Action Reviews (AARs), Rapid Lessons Sharing (RLSs), Facilitated Learning Analysis (FLAs), and Learning Reviews. 
• Identify ways to capture key institutional (or “tacit”) knowledge among agency leaders and fire managers, and how to best pass it on to incoming members of the workforce.
• Prescribed fire: collect and share lessons and best practices around declaring escaped prescribed fires. 

Communication during wildfire incidents

• Develop critical communication competencies that support more effective coordination, shared situational awareness, and timely decision-making under pressure among incident commanders and among frontline firefighters.
• Understand how communication happens during emergencies – where communication breaks down, what works well, and strategies that help leaders and responders stay informed, make decisions quickly, and work better as a team.

Research Products and Outcomes

Products in development

• Academic, peer-reviewed publications
• Data, papers, and presentations at academic conferences, practitioner meetings, and agency leadership events 
• A Research Counts special collection of short research syntheses on wildfire social science, which is designed for a broad audience of emergency response researchers and practitioners working across multiple hazards
• Research briefs and updates for Forest Service partners, land managers, fire personnel, and Complex Incident Management Teams (CIMT’s)
• Science Delivery products for fire and land management audiences, such as videos and “Science You Can Use in 5 Minutes” research summaries 
• Interagency workshops to discuss research findings and implementation

Anticipated outcomes

• Stronger relationships between the Forest Service, key research partners, and interagency risk communication professionals
• Established relationships between Incident Management Team personnel and Social Science Research Group for Wildfire members to support regular communication, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding 
• Larger risk communication projects for further data gathering and analysis around warnings, alerts, and other forms of risk communication during wildland fire incidents
• More effective learning documents, annual refreshers, and training opportunities