Summary

The Public Health Agency of Canada developed a comprehensive Toolkit focused on public health actions and interventions related to wildfire risks. It provides detailed information on the hazards of fire and smoke, and their impacts on physical and mental health.

Policy & Practice Implications

• The Toolkit offers the public health sector evidence-based actions and interventions to support timely decision-making during the four phases of emergency management: risk mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Policymakers can use the Toolkit’s equity lens and cultural safety principles to inform their wildfire response.
• Incorporating comprehensive mitigation and preparedness activities can reduce the health hazards and risks of wildfires by strengthening community and individual resilience, raising awareness of protective measures, and addressing inequities related to the social determinants of health.

Image source: https://climateinstitute.ca/news/fact-sheet-wildfires/