A few years ago now, I wrote a blog post about climate change and how its negative impacts disproportionately affect marginalized populations. This inequality shows up in almost every aspect of climate change, from those displaced by a flood to the uptick in negative health outcomes due to increased carbon emissions. But in light of Earth Day next week, I want to dive back into this topic, and specifically an aspect of local interest: forest fires. Â
Like many other natural disasters, forest fires have the potential to cause families, neighborhoods, or even whole towns to flee their homes and communities in search of safety. Especially in instances where people must evacuate, research has shown that marginalized folks are more likely to face more difficulty and potential danger, in large part due to the actual process of leaving. Those with physical disabilities are more likely to face barriers when exiting buildings and are more likely to be left behind, and those with ongoing healthcare needs are more likely to run into challenges accessing care and medication after evacuation. Those who are unhoused or in poverty are less likely to have access to transportation away from an evacuation zone. Families that don’t speak or read English at home will have a harder time accessing crucial information like safe exit routes. And those with underlying health conditions, field workers and other manual laborers, and those in poverty are all more likely to experience harsher health outcomes from nearby wildfire smoke. Â
Besides the disproportionate impacts for those fleeing wildfire, there is also unequal treatment and impacts for those fighting wildfires. Part of this mirrors unequal treatment across many professions where female firefighters make less than men in the same roles, but the less obvious aspect is the disproportionate impact of wildland firefighting risks faced by incarcerated firefighters. While books like The Big Burn by Timothy Egan provide evidence of prisoners being drafted to assist with forest fire management as early as 1910, this has been an increasingly utilized population in recent years as forest fire frequency and damages increase. And despite inmate firefighters working alongside other firefighters doing the same work, they make around $5-10 dollars per day, while their nonincarcerated counterparts make as much as 50 times more. In addition to this drastic difference in pay, a 2018 report found that incarcerated workers are also between four and eight times more likely to be injured while fighting fires than nonincarcerated workers. And since it is a well-documented trend that the justice system disproportionately targets Black and Latino communities, this means that incarcerated firefighters being paid less and injured more are also more likely to be communities of color. Altogether, those working to protect their communities through fighting wildfires face similarly disproportionate negative outcomes as those fleeing fires. Â
So, if our marginalized communities are more likely to face harm or difficulty during wildfire season, what can we do? Like most changes, starting small and starting local is a great, achievable way to have a positive impact. Checking in with disabled or elderly friends and family frequently during wildfire season to communicate about their mobility needs will set them up to have support in place. If you live in an apartment building, talking to building managers to ensure they have ADA friendly evacuation plans helps your neighbors, even if you don’t know each other. If you live in a bilingual household or those close to you speak languages other than English at home, ensuring they know where to find evacuation and emergency preparedness information in their native language will help them stay informed during crises. And having an evacuation plan for yourself and your family will keep you safe so that you can support those around you who might need additional help in the face of these barriers.
If you’d like to learn more about how climate change and wildfires impact communities or learn more about how to keep yourself safe and prepared for this coming wildfire season, consider checking out a book from this list!