Social–Ecological Dimensions of Wildfire Risk in the Community Forests of Northern Thailand: Leadership Perception, Participation, and Surface Fuel Conditions

Community-Based Fire Management (CBFiM) integrates local governance and ecological stewardship, yet the social drivers shaping its effectiveness remain poorly understood. This study examines the relationships among leadership perception, community participation, and surface fuel conditions in two community forests in Lampang Province, northern Thailand: Ban Pong and Ban Rong Ta. Forest floor fuel data were collected through destructive fuel sampling during the 2025 dry season, and social data were gathered through structured questionnaires measuring leadership perception using the Crew Member Perceived Leadership Scale and participation across seven fire management activities. Ban Rong Ta showed lower fuel loads but higher fire occurrence (nine fire detections recorded in 9 of 10 study years), lower leadership perception across all dimensions, and reduced participation in activities. The brigade–community participation gap reflects patterns documented across Southeast Asian community forestry programs, pointing to a structural challenge in fire governance. These findings suggest that awareness and informational participation alone do not reduce wildfire risk, and that integrating social and ecological indicators is essential for designing effective community-based fire governance systems.