Wildfire Safety, Communication and Diversity

Communication about wildfire preparedness and wildfire safety is increasingly being seen by many fire agencies in Australia as an important part of day-to-day operations. This communication role is often shared between the main wildfire-fighting service in any given state and other relevant government departments. In this chapter we consider the changing nature of wildfire preparedness and safety communication, focussing in particular on the potential of a socially engaged approach to communication and the importance of recognising and engaging a variety of audiences. Insights from research in social marketing and public communications are used to analyse data collected from interviews with communication professionals working in the area of wildfire safety, in both fire agencies and government departments, across four different Australian States.