Research led by School of Public Health and Health System's Warren Dodd, pictured below, suggests that prolonged wildfire seasons are affecting more than our physical health. They’re affecting our entire state of well-being.
Warren’s study included in-depth interviews with residents of Yellowknife and surrounding Indigenous communities who experienced one of Canada’s most severe and prolonged wildfire seasons during the summer of 2014, well before the massive Fort McMurray fire of 2016.
Along with expected increases in cough, pneumonia, asthma and respiratory emergency-room visits, the research team heard about fear, isolation, lack of physical activity, and changes in traditional summertime activities for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations.
The study noted that those affected spent more time indoors to avoid physical discomfort, resulting in feelings of isolation and increased anxiety, particularly around the question of whether this is “the new norm.”
The study concludes there is a need for coordinated community-based education, communication and adaptation projects to address these issues. It also suggests these projects should be inclusive of local knowledge, values and context.
