Risk Communication in Veldfire Prevention and Preparedness – A Minor Field Study in the Vredefort Dome, South Africa

Sammanfattning: The World Heritage Site the Vredefort Dome in South Africa is an area that is continuously exposed to the dangers of veldfires. In this study it was investigated how risk communication is used to raise public awareness about safe fire use, fire hazards, and veldfires. To what extent the community is reached by the communication and their level of knowledge about fire hazards and risks was also studied. The goal was to identify possible improvements in the risk communication that could reduce the number of veldfires in the area and reduce the damages they cause. Data was collected by a survey and semi-structured interviews that revealed that the knowledge base in the Vredefort Dome is generally good but that some groups are uninformed and would need more knowledge. The communicators primarily communicate using WhatsApp and the communication includes things like the daily FDI, weather forecasts, reminders about firebreaks, and warnings about when to be extra careful. Through community meetings, work is also being done to increase fire risk awareness. The communication is consistent with risk communication theory in general, however some communication gaps and exclusion of community members were identified. It was revealed that the communicators believed members were aware of some things that they were not. In terms of inclusion, it was disclosed that some groups are excluded and do not receive the information. Consequently, it would be valuable to evaluate measures to enhance the inclusion of all members of the community.