When Wildfires Strike

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Supporting mental health in affected communities

When wildfires are at your community’s door, there’s only one thing to do: evacuate. As communities are uprooted and fires are being fought, people are put under extreme stress that leads to both short- and long-term mental health impacts.

Under climate change, we’ll be seeing more and more wildfires, so it’s vital that we address the links between wildfires and mental health.

In this video, we hear from experts and evacuees about what’s needed to tackle the social implications of wildfires. We can build more robust health systems, better manage our forests, and create resilient communities that are ready to take on the challenge of climate change.

Recommended Video Citation

Climate Atlas of Canada. (2022). When Wildfires Strike: Supporting mental health in affected communities. Prairie Climate Centre. https://climateatlas.ca/video/when-wildfires-strike-0

Take Action

Climate change touches all of our lives, one way or another. Because it affects all aspects of modern life, there are many kinds of meaningful choices we can make that will help.

Climate change solutions start close to home, with simple actions in our own homes and families, but also involve new ways of thinking, planning, and acting in workplaces, neighbourhoods, and communities across the country.

See our "Take Action" topic for ideas and examples of innovative climate action taking place all across Canada.

The Climate Atlas of Canada is part of a national suite of climate data portals.

Stories and explanations about climate change, and local climate data that can be explored using maps and graphs.

Climate Data Canada

High-resolution climate data to help decision makers build a more resilient Canada.

Advanced tools for academia, climate scenario developers, and other expert users.

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