Researchers from the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health are collaborating on a pilot study to better understand the psychological impacts of Alaska wildfires on residents.
They’re looking for adults who lived on the Kenai Peninsula or in Anchorage last summer, during the Swan Lake Fire, to participate in interviews and workshops about how that fire affected their mental health. The study is entitled, “Understanding and Supporting Mental Health and Well-Being in the Context of Intensifying Wildfires in Alaska.”
According to Micah Hahn, one of the project’s leads, it’s a facet of wildfire impacts that often goes unstudied.
“A lot of the response activities are around preventing physical issues, right? Like, you evacuate people when there’s risk of their home burning down or when the smoke is really bad,” Hahn said.