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Full Project Title: Emergency Notification Systems for Underserved Communities and Wildfire Risk Management in the Southeastern United States

Project Identification Number: WCS34

Each year in the southeastern United States, 45,000 wildfires burn nearly 1 million acres, and wildfire risk is increasing due to climate change. To protect life and property during a fire emergency, authorities and communities need effective emergency alert systems.  

However, research has shown that wildfire risk is often underestimated, even in wildfire-prone regions, suggesting an opportunity for improving emergency alert systems.  

In collaboration with the University of Georgia’s Institute of Disaster Management, Forest Service researchers are using wildfires in the Southeast as a case study to evaluate public participation in existing alert systems, whether alert messaging effectively communicates risks and necessary actions during an emergency, and whether communities are equipped with necessary tools to prepare for disasters.

This information will enable stakeholders to make informed decisions about resource allocation and system improvements in order to improve disaster preparedness and resilience and ultimately reduce loss of life and property damage.

The project will especially focus on underserved communities, promoting equity by ensuring that vulnerable populations have the support they need in a disaster situation.

This project is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Provision 40803(c)(4). This research supports the agency’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy.