As the U.S. Faces Lengthier Fire Seasons, Research Suggests Mental Health of Survivors Must be a Focus
Climate change is leading to longer fire seasons, with more frequent, back-to-back, and persistent wildfire events. This not only poses a threat to communities threatened by the blaze itself; these changes can lead to smoke exposure for weeks or even months in communities far from the fires themselves.
Following a meeting at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, UCLA C-Solutions and Climate Resolve are partnering to shed light on the mental and physical health impacts of wildfires and smoke.
In a joint report published today, (July 8) the researchers say that government, public health agencies, and the public generally need to understand the mental health impacts of wildfire smoke as the world enters a time in which wildfire smoke events are prolonged events.
