Evaluating the effectiveness of different media for wildfire information dissemination under multiple scenarios in eight provinces of China

During a wildfire, timely dissemination of disaster information is crucial in reducing the public’s exposure to hazards and allowing for early adoption of necessary precautions and safe evacuation. However, ensuring the timely dissemination of information presents a great challenge in the event of a great wildfire. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of several information dissemination channels, including short messaging service (SMS), television (TV), online social networks (OSN), and offline disaster information officers (ODIO) under multiple wildfire scenarios comprehensively. It focuses on eight provinces with high wildfire risk in China. By using statistical data, the study dynamically fits the usage of different information media to analyze the information coverage over time under multiple wildfire scenarios, including daytime information release, nighttime information release and signal interruption. The results show that SMS has the fastest dissemination speed and the largest number of recipients, and ODIO plays an important role in the case of paralyzed communication facilities. Although TV is less effective than OSN in disseminating information, it remains a key channel for some areas. These findings can assist relevant authorities to choose the appropriate information dissemination channels under different scenarios. This ensures that pre-warning information can be delivered to the public in a timely and efficient manner, thus reducing the losses and risks associated with wildfires.