Abstract
We surveyed nonindustrial private (family) forestland owners in five states in the southern United States to identify their perception, awareness, and adoption of wildfire prevention and mitigation programs. Wildfire is perceived as an imminent threat by the majority of the survey respondents, and over two-thirds of them have taken some preventive measure. Program awareness, wildfire experience and risk perception, information sources, wildfire preventive activities, and preferences for government interventions differ across racial groups; experience with wildfire, knowledge and activities of fire protection, information sources, and desire for government intervention and technical assistance are also significantly different between male and female landowners. Additionally, program awareness by landowners does not necessarily translate into action in preventing and mitigating wildfire, suggesting that additional assistance and stimuli would be needed to encourage private landowners to be more proactive against wildfire.