Dear Resident:

We are conducting research to understand how people decide where to live after wildfires. The survey you're about to take will ask you for basic information on your wildfire experience, residential decisions, and demographics. We will use that information to select interested participants for a second phase of the research.

The second phase of the study involves an interview about your recovery experience after the wildfire. The interview would last about one hour.

Participants selected for this second phase of research will be provided a $200 gift card as a thanks for their valuable time and input. Because we are looking for a broad range of perspectives and can only accept a limited number of participants, taking the survey does not guarantee you will be interviewed.

Results of this survey will be used to select participants for the second phase of research. Individual data from the survey will only be viewed by the research team and our community partners to verify your status as a fire survivor but demographic data for the whole group may be summarized in final reports. We estimate that this survey will take most people 5-10 minutes to complete. Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision to participate will have no bearing on your relationship with the study sponsors. Please have one of the heads of the household (age 18 or older) complete this survey.

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact Alex Greer, the Principal Investigator at agreer@albany.edu or 1-518-442-1516. Alternatively, if you have any questions about your rights as a participant in this study, you can contact the University at Albany Institutional Review Board at 1-866-857-5459 or send an email to RCO@albany.edu.

Thank you for your participation!