Displacement & Beyond a Case Summary of Wildfire Activity in Yellowknife, N’Dilo, Detah and Kakisa
Read the entire study: Lived experience of a record wildfire season in the Northwest Territories, Canada
Qualitative research on the lived experiences of four communities in the Northwest Territories during the record-breaking wildfire season of 2014, depicts the reality likely facing displaced individuals from more recent wildfire events in British Columbia. Interviews conducted with community members from Yellowknife, N’Dilo, Detah and Kakisa, capture the acute and long-term health impacts associated with prolonged wildfire activity and evacuation. [1]
In addition to the increased morbidity of respiratory conditions associated with exposure to air pollutants and hazardous particulate matter in wildfire smoke, feelings of fear, stress, and uncertainty were prominent among community members. A profound sense of isolation, stemming from periods of confinement to one’s home and/or removal from one’s home altogether as part of larger evacuation measures, was one of the most commonly identified themes across all four communities.
The thick sheet of smoke that persisted throughout the summer months led to the issue of public health advisories warning individuals to stay indoors. While remaining indoors was promoted as a public health precaution to limit exposure to poor air quality, it had extensive consequences for peoples’ physical and mental health. Across all communities, extended time indoors was responsible for increased anxiety among research participants and had negative impacts on chronic disease management and community cohesion. Sentiments of community-disconnect were reinforced by the inability to engage in traditional land-based activities such as hunting, foraging, and fishing, which worsened pre-existing challenges related to food and nutritional security these areas.
The health challenges elucidated by the community-members of Yellowknife, N’Dilo, Detah and Kakisa highlights the need for further research to address the emotional and physical aftermath of wildfires, especially given that their extent and severity is expected to increase with climate change.
What can we do as medical students?
Engage in community-based research projects to develop a comprehensive understanding of how climate change related issues affect the health and well-being of your patient population – whether it be vector-borne diseases, extreme weather events such as forest fires, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, food security, air quality, etc.
References
[1] Dodd, W., Scott, P., Howard, C., Scott, C., Rose, C., Cunsolo, A., & Orbinski, J. (2018). Lived experience of a record wildfire season in the northwest territories, canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 109(3), 327- 337. doi:10.17269/s41997-018-0070-5