Why People Ignore Wildfire Risk: The Neuroscience of Fight, Flight & Freeze with Erica Peng

When disaster strikes, why do some people prepare while others delay, deny, or freeze?

In this episode, Hurricane Hal sits down with Erica Peng, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business lecturer and neuroscience educator, to explore the hidden role that our fight, flight, freeze response plays in disaster preparedness, leadership, and decision-making.

Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and her own experience leading wildfire mitigation efforts in a high-risk California community, Erica explains why people often resist taking action—even when they understand the risks—and how communities can overcome those barriers together.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why the brain naturally resists change and uncertainty
• How fight, flight, freeze affects disaster preparedness
• Why education alone often doesn't change behavior
• How Firewise Communities help neighborhoods become more resilient
• Practical ways to communicate about wildfire risk without triggering defensiveness
• What leaders, emergency managers, insurers, and homeowners can do to build stronger, more prepared communities

Whether you live in a wildfire zone, hurricane-prone region, floodplain, or simply want to better understand human behavior under stress, this conversation offers practical insights that can improve preparedness and resilience.

Guest: Erica Peng

• Lecturer, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
• Specializing in neuroscience, leadership, crisis communication, and the fight-flight-freeze response

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