Wildfire exposure is associated with increased mental health risks, particularly among those with preexisting conditions and significant fire-related losses, with mental health symptoms declining over a six-month follow-up period.
Forty-one percent of Camp Fire survivors reported at least one mental health symptom three weeks after the wildfire.
Mean number of mental health symptoms declined steadily over the six-month follow-up period.
Severe home damage was the strongest fire-related factor associated with a higher number of mental health symptoms among survivors reporting one or more symptoms.
Preexisting mental health conditions and job loss due to the wildfire were each associated with a 1.2-fold increase in mental health symptoms.
Loss of a family member or friend and living alone were associated with a higher number of mental health symptoms, while younger age and male sex were associated with fewer symptoms.
This research followed over 4,300 survivors of the 2018 Camp Fire — one of California's deadliest wildfires — to understand how their mental health changed in the months after the disaster. Researchers asked survivors to recall their mental health symptoms at three weeks, one month, three months, and six months after the fire. They found that about 4 in 10 survivors experienced at least one mental health symptom shortly after the fire, and that the overall burden of symptoms gradually decreased over time, though it did not disappear within the six-month window studied. The study identified several factors that made people more likely to experience a heavier mental health burden. Survivors whose homes were severely damaged had roughly 60% more symptoms than those without severe damage. People who had preexisting mental health conditions or lost their jobs because of the fire each had about 20% more symptoms. Those who lost a loved one or lived alone also fared worse mentally. Interestingly, children and teenagers (under 18) and male survivors reported fewer symptoms than other groups. This research suggests that wildfires pose significant mental health risks that extend well beyond the immediate disaster period, and that certain groups — particularly those who lose their homes, livelihoods, or loved ones, and those with prior mental health conditions — face disproportionately higher risks. These findings could help emergency planners and mental health services prioritize support for the most vulnerable survivors in the aftermath of wildfires, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change.
Gigoyan L, Dossett M, Conlon K, Chen S, Raffuse S, Hertz-Picciotto I. (2026). Acute Mental Health Impacts and Mid-Term Symptom Trajectories Following Wildfire Exposure.. International journal of environmental research and public health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23081005