Gender and Wildfire

In pursuit of lifestyle change affordable property and proximity to nature people from all walks of life are moving to the wildland-urban interface. Tragic wildfires and a predicted increase in high fire danger weather with climate change have triggered concern for the safety of such amenity-led migrants in wildfire-prone landscapes. This book examines wildfire awareness and preparedness amongst women men households communities and agencies at the interface between city and beyond. It does so through an examination of two regions where wildfires are common and disastrous and where how to deal with them is a major political issue: southeast Australia and the west coast United States. It follows womenâs and menâs stories of surviving fighting evacuating living and working with wildfire to reveal the intimate inner workings of wildfire response â and especially the culturally and historically distinct gender relations that underpin wildfire resilience. Wildfire is revealed as much more than a natural hazard â it is far from gender-neutral. Rather wildfire is an important means through which traditional gender roles and power relations are maintained despite changing social circumstances. Womenâs and menâs subjectivities are shaped by varying senses of inclusion exclusion engagement and disengagement with wildfire management. This leads to the reproduction of gender identities with clear ramifications for if how and to what extent women and men prepare for wildfire. . Language: English