[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 111 (Thursday, June 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33701-33702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14281]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Perceptions of Risk, Trust, 
Responsibility, and Management Preferences Among Fire-Prone Communities 
in the Western United States

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Request for comment; notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the revision of a currently approved information 
collection, Perceptions of Risk, Trust, Responsibility, and Management 
Preferences among Fire-Prone Communities in the Western United States.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 8, 2011 
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will 
be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Patricia L. Winter, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, 
USDA, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to 951 680-1501 or by 
e-mail to: [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at Building One Reception, 
4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507, during normal business 
hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (951) 680-1500 to 
facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia L. Winter, Pacific Southwest 
Research Station, USDA FS, 951-680-1557. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay 
Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 twenty-four hours a day, every day of 
the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Perceptions of Risk, Trust, Responsibility, and Management 
Preferences among Fire-Prone

[[Page 33702]]

Communities in the Western United States.
    OMB Number: 0596-0186.
    Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2011.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Forest Service and university researchers will contact 
community residents within or adjacent to national forests in the 
Western United States. Through those contacts, researchers will 
evaluate concerns about fire and fire risk, knowledge about fire, 
values focused on fire management, trust, objectives, and alternatives 
for fire management, personal experiences with fire, stressors 
associated with fire and fire risk, responsibility and accomplishments 
for fire management, sources of concern about fire, future orientation, 
and sociodemographics.
    The results will help researchers improve ability to provide 
information to natural resource managers on public perceptions of fire 
and fire management. To gather the information, residents within or 
adjacent to national forests in the Western United States will be 
contacted through mailed or e-mail correspondence, or by telephone, 
inviting their participation in a focus group study. Willing or 
interested parties will contact the researcher and be scheduled into 
sessions in their community. Those agreeing to participate will be 
involved in a focus group discussion and complete a self-administered 
survey.
    A Forest Service researcher and analyst/technician will collect and 
analyze the information with the assistance of a cooperating university 
researcher. The primary researcher is an expert in applied social 
psychology and survey research. The cooperator will be experienced in 
conducting community based focus groups.
    Participants will first complete a questionnaire focused on concern 
about fire, knowledge about fire, values similarity with the Forest 
Service, trust, objectives for fire management, personal experience 
with fire, stressors of fire and fire risk, responsibility for risk 
reduction, accomplishment of risk reduction, sources of concern about 
fire, future orientation, and sociodemographics. Participants will then 
participate in a discussion on the following topics: objectives, 
values, and concerns in fire management; alternatives for accomplishing 
objectives; values/goals and trust; and information needs and 
interests.
    Invitations are sent by mail, e-mail, or via telephone to 
individuals aged 18 or older residing in the selected communities. When 
possible, multiple sessions will be held in each community to 
accommodate as many participants as are interested. Responses will be 
voluntary and anonymous.
    Responses will be used to evaluate the values linked to fire and 
fire management among forest community residents; personal experiences 
with fire and how participants have addressed fire risk; perceived 
responsibility and accomplishments in addressing fire risk; and 
personal characteristics that might influence these responses. The data 
collected will assist researchers in determining public perception and 
expectations regarding fire management and risk, as well as providing 
information on how residents address these issues. Such data is 
valuable to forest resource managers, who use the information when 
selecting long and short-term fire management strategies, and in 
developing public information strategies on fire and fire management.
    Without this information, managers will have to rely on the scant 
information otherwise available on current and changing public views 
regarding fire and fire management, and the anecdotal information 
collected through direct experiences with the public regarding impacts 
of fire and fire risk. The intent is to share the collected data with 
other researchers studying fire management, and other natural resource 
management values and objectives.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 2.3 hours.
    Type of Respondents: Respondents are community residents in various 
locations within or adjacent to national forests in the Western United 
States.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 200.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 460.

Comment Is Invited

    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: June 1, 2011.
Jimmy L. Reaves,
Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 2011-14281 Filed 6-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P