Wildfire and child displacement: Still a burning issue

The global issue of wildfires demands immediate attention and concerted action due to their increasing frequency and intensity primarily attributed to climate change, human activities and ecosystem degradation. The recent extreme wildfires in regions like Mediterranean southern Europe and North Africa have indeed been alarmingly destructive, causing widespread devastation, displacement and profound impacts on environment and communities. The combination of record breaking temperatures and long severe droughts has set the stage for the these exceptional and destructive fires. [1]

The displacement of the affected population is of significant concern especially in terms of their health particularly for children. Notably, these displacements impact their emotional well-being, education and over all sense of security. The UNICEF report spanning the last six years (2016–2021) reveals that, natural calamities have internally displacements of 43.1 million children globally with wild fires accounting for to 3.4 million child displacement. [2] The escalating wildfires will continue to contribute to the increase in the figures, posing heightened risk of exploitation, child trafficking and abuse leading to malnutrition, diseases, and inadequate immunization. Of particular concern is emergence of psychopathologies in children after wildfires. In the aftermath of wildfire, significant number of children exhibit post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms reaching as high as 92% in the sub-acute phase. [3] Studies have also found that even six months after a fire, 9–12% of children and adolescents experience moderate to severe PTSD, with figures touching 29.4%. [4] The various studies also identified anxiety, depression, stress, alcohol/substance misuse, hopelessness, low resilience, reduced quality of life, and self-esteem as the psychological conditions manifesting in children and adolescent post-wildfire disaster. [5]

While the policy makers highlight the potential health hazards associated with wildfires, emphasizing the need to mitigate climate change, the question arise what step can be taken in the interim? Their vulnerability, both in terms of physical development and emotional resilience, necessitates special attention and care during and after wildfire disasters to mitigate these health risks. Children response to wildfire can vary directly based on their age, developmental stage and prior experience. Their response might manifest in diverse behavioural and physical symptoms. In these situations role of parents is crucial. Offering emotional support and council ling becomes the initial step in addressing their needs. Combating PTSD in children should be taken up as a collective responsibility of the communities and governing bodies to create a supportive environment, offering appropriate guidance and ensuring access to mental health resources. Schools equipped with an understanding of children's needs and psychology as a part of their professional scope can play a vital role in such challenging circumstances. Addressing the wildfire challenges require multidimensional approach, combining immediate response with long-term strategies. It requires a joint effort from national and international child welfare organizations to address these immediate pressing challenges to bridge the gap and minimize connection to long term consequences. Moreover, we also propose including information on climate change and child health in medical curricula so that future doctors are holistically aware of the problems.

Contributors

SS and GS drafted the initial manuscript. SS, SCS and GS critically reviewed the draft. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Funding

Not applicable.

Funding source

The author received no specific funding for this work.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.