Wednesday, 15 January 2025: 8:30 AM
208 (New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
The increase in wildfires across the U.S. is a growing concern, mostly due to anthropogenic climate change. These fires present not only immediate ecological risks but also have profound social repercussions. Certain groups, primarily Indigenous and communities of color, often bear a disproportionate burden due to longstanding socioeconomic challenges. This warrants focused research on how social identities intersect to impact community response and the ability to recover during and following wildfire disasters. This study will use the intersectionality framework that illuminates these groups' systemic obstacles to examine these issues.
The study will utilize a quantitative approach to understand the population better and their community resilience. Using the PEOPLES community resilience scale and analyses of other factors such as demographics, property damage, healthcare data, and recovery periods, the study will draw connections between racial and economic profiles and susceptibility and resilience to wildfire damage. Early stages of this research point to likely disparities in how prepared different communities are and how well they recover, with communities of color faring worse than wealthier, predominantly white neighborhoods. This finding suggests that current methods for managing wildfires need to fully consider the specific needs of communities of color. This work aims to reach comprehensive conclusions that can guide equitable policy changes for wildfire management and community preparedness, emphasizing strategies that acknowledge cultural differences and are designed to fortify the most vulnerable populations against wildfires. By understanding the role of complex and intersecting identities in disaster response, this study paves the way for policies that serve all communities equitably in the face of environmental disasters.
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