Symbolic Meanings of Wildland Fire: A Study of Residents in the U.S. Inland Northwest

This study uses symbolic interactionism as a basis for understanding the salience and fundamental meanings of wildland fire to wildland-urban interface (WUI) residents. It contributes to an understanding of how WUI residents actually view wildland fire, its role in forest ecosystems, and its attendant risks for human settlements. Three focus groups were conducted with residents of the wildland-urban interface near Spokane, Washington. Results indicate a high level of salience of wildland fire to participants' daily lives and significant concern about the risk of fire events. It also revealed strikingly different frames of reference for fires burning in the WUI or in areas away from human settlement. The study concludes with considerations for building shared meanings of wildland fire among WUI residents and managers.