Full Project Title: Investigating resident perceptions of Wildfire Crisis Strategy activities and wildfire risk in New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle Landscape

Project Identification Number: WCS21

Social acceptance of Forest Service activities to mitigate wildfire is crucial to the implementation those practices and their success. 

This project will measure community level of trust, acceptance, expectations, and support of Wildfire Crisis Strategy investments in the Enchanted Circle Landscape in northern New Mexico. The project will also measure public awareness of wildfire risk and trust in the agency to effectively mitigate risk.

The research team is collaborating with Hispanic and Native American institutions and communities across the area. Using an open-ended survey, the research will collect deep descriptions of people’s attitudes about the agency’s use of prescribed burning and other mitigation efforts. 

The research addresses communication, equity, and building shared understanding and support for prescribed fire as an essential tool.

This project was funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Provision 40803. This research supports the agency's Wildfire Crisis Strategy.