Urbanization, wildfire exposure, and youth mental health: a narrative review

This narrative review synthesizes recent empirical studies on the mental health impacts of wildfires on children and adolescents, with specific attention to how urbanization modifies risk, access, and recovery. It addresses a critical gap in the literature by examining spatial and infrastructural inequities in post-disaster mental health outcomes while identifying key gaps in this emerging research domain.

Youth exposed to wildfires exhibit high rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, often persisting well beyond the acute event. Urbanization intensifies these risks by expanding the wildland-urban interface and stratifying access to care. Rural and peri-urban youth face the most significant disruption, from displacement to delayed service access, yet are the least likely to receive sustained, culturally responsive interventions. This review identified a limited evidence base: among studies published since June 2024 that explicitly examined youth mental health and urbanization in wildfire contexts, only three peer-reviewed empirical studies met inclusion criteria. Among the broader wildfire-youth literature, only one employed longitudinal tracking, none used systematic geospatial mapping, and few included Indigenous or marginalized populations. Intervention models such as telehealth, allied health services, and trauma-informed school support show promise but remain unevenly implemented.

The psychological burden of wildfires on youth is enhanced by trauma exposure and spatial inequity. The scarcity of research explicitly addressing urbanization's role in youth wildfire mental health represents a critical gap. Urban planning and mental health policy must be integrated to ensure that services reach underserved regions. Future research should incorporate urban-rural typologies, geospatial analysis, cultural dimensions, and developmental trajectories to inform equitable, place-based interventions for wildfire-exposed youth.