Wildfire Support
Although wildfires have become a more common occurrence, this does not change the level of devastation they have. From those who have lost loved ones and homes to those impacted by smoke inhalation and the collective reminder of the impacts of climate crisis. I plan to speak more to climate anxiety/distress in the future, but for now I am wanting to focus on support for wildfires, specifically.
Most agencies providing resources for wildfires identify three categories for preparedness/resources: before, during, and after. Preparation ahead of time can look like creating plans with those in your home and community (with an emphasis on vulnerable folks - children, folks with disabilities, pets, the elderly, etc) and having a go-kit, which can include important documents, supplies, and needed medication. I want to emphasize that there is only so much you can do to prepare and it might be pretty tempting to look back and think about how you could have prepared better, but the reality is that there is not a level of preparedness that will make you impervious to disaster. Which is not to say that preparation isn’t important, but that there is only so much we can do and disaster is unpredictable.
The Red Cross has a video that discusses the process of evacuating that you can watch here (5 minutes).
After a wildfire, there are so many things to manage - physically, emotionally, and too many logistics. Below I have listed resources for support with navigating and rebuilding following disaster. People will respond differently to disaster. Some people may go straight into action mode, taking care of others and tackling logistics, but then may have a large emotional response or crash, once things have settled. Some people may be completely frozen or numb for awhile. Grief is a huge part of disaster. Grief for lost loved ones, grief for home, grief for sentimental items, grief of a sense of safety, grief for before, grief for normal. Disaster is a trauma, no matter how prepared you were. Some signs of ongoing trauma responses include: nightmares, elevated anxiety, unwanted thoughts/images related to the disaster, avoiding thinking about the disaster, depression, social withdrawal, stomach issues, headaches, and so much more. If these trauma responses are part of your experience (even if you are seemingly less affected than someone else), therapy can be a really supportive resource to help you process the grief and trauma of your experience.
The above information is just scratching the surface of how to prepare for an emergency and what the aftermath of disaster looks like. Below are some organizations that provide direct support for preparation for and recovery from wildfires.
Wildfire Safety Info (Before, During, After)
For free 24/7 counseling or support, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990
American Lung Association - Protecting Yourself from Poor Health Quality
As always, take what is helpful and leave the rest. I hope you have the week you need.
