Developing Behavioral and Evidence-Based Programs for Wildfire Risk Mitigation

This study explores how behavioral science can improve wildfire risk mitigation programs by changing how information is delivered to residents. A field experiment mailed letters to over 4,500 homeowners directing them to personalized risk webpages; about 12% engaged by visiting the site. Changing message types (basic, personalized, or social comparison) did not significantly change response, but engagement varied by community. The key takeaway is that simple, low-cost outreach can increase awareness, and embedding experiments into programs helps identify what works. Using data, testing outreach, and tracking engagement can make wildfire programs more effective and targeted.