Wildfire Smoke and Protective Actions in Canadian Indigenous Communities

Abstract

In Canada, Indigenous populations are disproportionately threatened by wildfire smoke and the associated adverse health impacts. This paper presents the results of a narrative review of 51 academic and related resources which explored protective action decision making during wildfire smoke events within Indigenous communities in Canada. A search of scholarly articles and other relevant sources yielded resources which were subject to thematic analysis and described in order to present a narrative review of current knowledge and gaps in research. A small and growing literature provides insights into protective actions taken by the general population during wildfire smoke events, but very little is known about protective actions taken by Indigenous peoples in Canada during wildfire smoke events. This lack of understanding hinders the capacity of decision makers to improve emergency management and minimize community health impacts of wildfire smoke.

Repeat wildfire and smoke experiences shared by four communities in Southern California: local impacts and community needs

“…This study documented self-report health impacts among vulnerable populations, similar to those reported in other geographic regions (Canada, Australia, rural Washington, and northern California) [45][46][47][48]. Findings unique to this study highlight the environmental context of these vulnerable and marginalized communities in ECV, where numerous threats to health and air quality have multiplicative effects on residents' health.…”

“…ECV residents described health impacts from repeat smoke and fires that ranged from respiratory, dermatological, sinus, irritated eyes, headaches, and allergic reactions. Similar health effects have been documented in other communities experiencing smoke from fires, including Indigenous populations in Canada [34, 45,49], communities in the US, and in Australia [47]. Respiratory impacts from wildfire smoke compounded by already poor air quality have been documented in farmworker communities, with those working outside in the smoke and heat being disproportionately affected [3, 23,46,50,51].…”