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Wildfires & Mental Health

(written by the California Dept of Public Health)

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Emotional recovery after a wildfire can be incredibly challenging. The stress of coping with the loss of a home, personal items, pets, livestock and other traumatic events can trigger mood swings, sleep disruption, and cause extreme nervous tension and/or depression. It is important for fire victims to be aware of how they are feeling so their emotions do not become overwhelming.

 

Where Can I Get Help?

The Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual, crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories who are experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

📞 Call or text: 1-800-985-5990​​

Additional Resources

  • CalHOPE: Peer counseling for times when you feel stressed, anxious, depressed or worried.

  • 988 Lifeline: 24/7 access to trained counselors to help people experiencing mental health-related distress, thoughts of suicide or substance use crisis. Call or text 988.

  • First Aid Kit for Your Mind (Listos): Simple steps for protecting your mental well-being and helping others do the same.​

Protect Your Emotional Well-Being

Feeling emotional after a disaster is normal but seek professional help if experiencing any of the following:

  • Difficulty managing your emotions.

  • Trouble completing daily tasks.

  • Caring for yourself or your family​​

Ways to Cope 

Reaching out to family and friends, seeing a therapist or primary care doctor, finding a support group, or connecting with a religious leader can all be helpful tools in overcoming or dealing with the psychological effects of a wildfire. Here are other ways to take care of yourself and your family’s emotional health:

  • Find opportunities to spend time with other people to stay connected.

  • Talk to a trusted friend, family member, counselor or adviser about what you are feeling.

  • Participate in enjoyable activities that you have access to.

  • Take frequent breaks from cleanup efforts.

  • Exercise (indoors if air quality is poor).

  • Eat a healthy diet.

  • Get enough sleep.

  • Write in a journal.

  • Avoid relying on substances like alcohol or marijuana for stress relief. During times of great stress, their use can be counterproductive and lead to more stress, anxiety and physical symptoms.

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Helping ​Children Cope

Children will likely have a hard time processing the losses caused by wildfire and it’s easy for parents to become preoccupied with post-fire recovery. Parents are advised to pay close attention to their children’s emotional well-being by watching for behavioral changes and listening carefully to their child's questions.

Here’s are some tips on how to help children cope:

  • Validate your children’s feelings. They may be feeling scared, confused, or angry.

  • Be honest with your answers to your children’s questions, but don’t provide more information than necessary.

  • Provide opportunities for your children to talk along with other outlets for them to express themselves, like drawing or playing.

  • Limit their exposure to television news and online media.

  • Avoid irrational promises like, “This won’t happen again.”

  • Maintain the same daily schedule as much as possible (e.g., bedtime rituals).

  • Ensure your children are eating healthy food, exercising, and maintaining healthy sleep patterns.

Watch for physical symptoms like stress-related stomachaches and headaches, regressive behavior like bed-wetting, or if they show changes in demeanor. While these are normal stress responses and are usually temporary, parents may want to seek professional help for their child if these behaviors continue. ​

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The Mental Health Impacts of Wildfires

(Written by the American Psychiatric Association)

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Wildfires, like other natural disasters and traumatic events, take a toll on the mental health of those directly affected and in the community. Whether the impact is the loss of a home, having to flee unexpectedly, dealing with the uncertainty of a fire’s path or worrying over smoke-filled skies, wildfires can lead to emotional distress.

The Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Agency notes that feelings such as “overwhelming anxiety, constant worrying, trouble sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms are common responses before, during, and after wildfires.”

Other signs of emotional distress related to wildfires include:

  • Having thoughts, memories, or nightmares related to the wildfire that you can’t seem to get out of your head

  • Worrying a lot of the time

  • Feeling guilty but not sure why

  • Being frequently absent from work or school

Several recent studies provide insights on the extent of the impacts. A review of research in 2021 concluded that: “There is a strong body of literature to support the impact of wildfires on mental health, but more information is needed on the effective public health measures and rebuilding strategies that can optimize patient resilience post-wildfire.” (To 2021)

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Other research has found an increase in emergency department visits for anxiety and use of mental health medications associated with local wildfires. To explore the connection between wildfire events and anxiety disorders, Qingyang Zhu, Ph.D., at Emory University, and colleagues used data on the locations of wildfires and wildfire smoke in five western states (Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah) between 2007 and 2018 and compared it to data on nearly 1.9 million emergency department visits for anxiety in these five states during the same period. They found within 48 hours of exposure to wildfire smoke, people were more likely to visit the emergency room for an anxiety condition and the impact was greater among women and girls and elderly individuals. (Zhu 2024)

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In another study, Zachary Wettstein, M.D., with the University of Washington, and Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Ph.D., with CDC, looked at exposure to 25 large wildfires in California and the use of psychotropic medications. Using data from a commercial insurance database, they compared prescriptions in fire-affected counties in the six weeks before and after the wildfires over the period 2011 to 2018. They found a statistically significant increase in antidepressants, anxiolytics, and mood stabilizers (but not antipsychotics or hypnotics). The increase was greater among women than men. (Wettstein 2024)

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Both studies only account for people who access mental health services and therefore may underestimate the impacts of wildfire exposure, the authors note. Another recent study looked at people who had been directly or indirectly exposed to a major wildfire and a control group without exposure. They found that the individuals exposed to the fire experienced cognitive impacts including a diminished ability to concentrate up to a year after the fire exposure. (Grennan 2023)

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Experts told Psychiatric News that this type of research can be useful in helping public health agencies inform and protect the public and to help advocate for policy change. Read more in Psychiatric News. (Bredbenner 2024)

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