Mental Health Resources for Wildfires

Tips for Managing Your Distress Related to the Wildfires

Tips on how to manage distress related to wildfires even if not directly affected.

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/wildfire-tips.aspx

Recovering from the Wildfires

Explains how to cope effectively with feelings, thoughts, and actions as you recover from fires.

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/wildfire.aspx

After the Fire: Your Emotional and Physical Well-Being

Offers tips on things one can do to help cope with post-fire distress and how to stay healthy during the cleanup time that follows.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/pdf/afterfire.pdf

Parent Guidelines for Helping Children Impacted by Wildfires

Lists common reactions parents may see in their children after a wildfire and how to help their children deal with this distress.

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/parents_wildfires.pdf

Wildfires: Tips for Parents on Media Coverage

How to help children understand media coverage while limiting their exposure to distressing images.

http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/Wildfires_media.pdf

Articles:

Santa Barbara Independent:

• Studying Wildfires and Mental Health: Evacuations Can Calm Some Doubts, Raise Others

In the midst of a wildfire, doubts arise regarding personal safety, the safety of family and friends, and the safety of property. People generally seek relevant information from media, but these sources vary widely in effectiveness and can often increase uncertainty.

http://www.independent.com/news/2011/dec/04/studying-wildfires-and-mental-health/

Los Angeles Times:

• Wildfires Can Take a Psychological Toll

Victims may face long-lasting mental problems such as depression and PTSD, researched determined after the 2003 wildfires in Southern California. When these survivors were screened, one-third screened positive for depression and almost one-fourth screened positive for PTSD.

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/06/local/me-fire-mental6.

Reporter Herald:

• Displaced Fire Victims Meet, Beat Stress

Discusses the coping methods of High Park fire victims in June of 2012.

http://www.reporterherald.com/news/high-park-fire/ci_20925941/displaced-fire-victims-meet-beat-stress

General Resources for Wildfires

Wildfires: Protect Yourself and Others

Tips and links to resources about how to deal and prepare for smoke, burns, wound care, and protect families and pets.

http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/

Wildfires

Outlines steps to follow to protect your family, home, and property before, during, and after a wildfire.

http://m.fema.gov/wildfires.htm

How to Prepare for a Wildfire

A useful 13-page document that helps you know what to do.

http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1409003859391-0e8ad1ed42c129f11fbc23d008d1ee85/how_to_prepare_wildfire_033014_508.pdf

Wildfires

Outlines steps on how to prepare and what to do before, during, and after a wildfire.

http://www.ready.gov/wildfires

Wildfire Safety Checklist

Checklist of what one should have and do before, during, and after a wildfire.

http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340149_Wildfire.pdf