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Role of Public Health in Wildfire: Lessons from the Field.
Heidi E Brown1, Erika Austhof2, Daniel Ferguson3
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N Martin Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA. HeidiBrown@arizona.edu.
Ecohealth
|March 26, 2026
Summary
Public health plays a key role in wildfire resilience by providing clear messaging and connecting communities to resources. Enhanced flexibility and cross-sector collaboration are crucial for effective wildfire response and outreach.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Public Health Policy
- Community Resilience
Background:
- Wildfire exposure risks are increasing, impacting human health.
- The specific role of public health in wildfire events requires clarification.
- Southwestern counties with prior wildfire/smoke exposure were studied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To understand public health practitioners' perceptions and actions regarding wildfire response.
- To identify key themes for effective public health wildfire outreach.
- To summarize evidence supporting public health interventions.
Main Methods:
- Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 individuals from 12 organizations in Arizona and New Mexico.
- Participants were recruited from government health entities.
- Interviews occurred in June 2024.
Main Results:
- Three emergent themes: clear/consistent messaging, connecting people to resources, and flexibility supporting capacity.
- Evidence supports clear messaging but lacks best practices for hard-to-reach populations.
- Need for more evidence on intervention efficacy, adaptations for marginalized communities, and multi-hazard scenarios.
Conclusions:
- Public health is transitioning to proactive wildfire outreach, integral to disseminating clear messages.
- Public health facilitates resource access, but efficacy studies are needed.
- Cross-sector cooperation and flexible resource allocation are vital for successful wildfire response.
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