Assessing One-Year Health Impacts from Wildfires in Rural Communities: Roles for Extension in Promoting Wildfire Preparedness and Recovery

Authors

Marc T. Braverman, Oregon State UniversityFollow
Sandi Cleveland Phibbs, Oregon State UniversityFollow
Emily Jane Davis, Oregon State UniversityFollow
Amanda Rau, Oregon Department of ForestryFollow
Elijah Penner, Oregon State UniversityFollow

Volume

63

Issue

2

DOI

10.34068/joe.63.02.02

Abstract

Wildfires can produce health impacts that persist for years in affected communities. This article describes an Extension-led study of health impacts in rural Oregon communities one year after a destructive wildfire. Data collection included key informant interviews (n=36), an online survey (n=80), and three focus group interviews with survivors (n=23). Mental health, exposure to contaminants, physical stress, food insecurity, and other issues were frequently identified health concerns. Survivors’ difficulties in dealing with housing displacement significantly exacerbated health challenges. We describe potential roles for Extension in addressing wildfire risk and mitigating health impacts, including a description of the Oregon Fire Program.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Braverman, M. T., Phibbs, S. C., Davis, E., Rau, A., & Penner, E. (2025). Assessing One-Year Health Impacts from Wildfires in Rural Communities: Roles for Extension in Promoting Wildfire Preparedness and Recovery. The Journal of Extension, 63(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.63.02.02