Wildfires are growing larger, hotter, and less predictable as climate change reshapes fire weather, fuels, and ignition patterns across the U.S. and beyond. Yet public understanding of wildfire risk, from who is exposed and why it's changing, to what can be done, often lags behind the science. In this webinar, Dr. Jennifer Marlon, a climate scientist and communications scholar at Yale, draws on the latest research on fire drivers, disaster risk, and public perception to explore what's really changing, why Americans consistently underestimate their personal exposure, and how organizations can communicate more effectively to build resilience.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe the key drivers of modern wildfire behavior: fuels, ignitions, weather, topography, and climate change, and explain why fires are becoming more severe and less predictable.
- Interpret U.S. public opinion and risk-perception data on climate change and wildfire, including the persistent gap between how Americans judge national versus personal risk.
- Apply evidence-based climate and wildfire communication principles — simple, clear, repeated messages from trusted sources — to reach diverse audiences and support mitigation and adaptation.
