In 2020, my family experienced a life-altering event when we had to suddenly evacuate from a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California. Pregnant at the time, I fled with my two elementary-aged children, leaving behind the stability of home in the middle of the uncertainty of COVID-19.
My husband and I grew up in South Florida, so we spent our entire childhood and part of our young adult years navigating hurricanes. While we have intimate knowledge about hurricanes and flooding, wildfires are something else altogether. For our children, who had no experience with hurricanes or fires, an emergency evacuation was profoundly traumatizing. Those who’ve lost everything are rebuilding inside and out. Those who can return to an intact home and community are rebuilding as well, on the inside. We were fortunate that our house, which was only a bit smokey, remained unscathed, but the emotional impact on my children lingered for years. One child developed anxiety about fire to the point where candles and gas stoves became sources of distress. Therapy became a crucial part of their healing process, but as a parent, I learned that supporting children’s mental health after a natural disaster requires ongoing, intentional effort.
As the Pacific Palisades wildfire reminds us, natural disasters can uproot our lives in an instant. For Southern California families impacted by wildfires, the emotional toll can sometimes surpass the physical damage. Drawing from my personal experience and some evidence-based research, I’ve compiled strategies to help parents navigate the “inside work” of supporting children’s emotional recovery after a natural disaster like a wildfire.
Understand the Emotional Impact of Disasters on Children
Wildfires and other natural disasters can leave deep emotional scars on children. According to Carolyn Kousky’s research in Impacts of Natural Disasters on Children, common effects include heightened anxiety, trouble sleeping, fear of recurrence, and difficulty concentrating. Children may also experience regressive behaviors such as bedwetting or clinginess, especially if they’re younger.
Dr. Jennifer Hoffmann’s work in Supporting Children’s Mental Health Needs in Disasters emphasizes that children process trauma differently based on their developmental stage. Younger children may struggle with understanding what happened and feel intense separation anxiety, while older children may internalize the stress, manifesting as irritability or withdrawal.
Steps to Support Your Child
- Provide Psychological First Aid (PFA)
- PFA focuses on reducing immediate distress, ensuring safety, and fostering adaptive coping. This includes creating a sense of stability and routine, offering emotional comfort, and helping children express their feelings in age-appropriate ways.
- Provide Structure and Stability
- Wildfires disrupt the predictability that children thrive on. If you can, even while you’re temporarily displaced, try to re-establish some routines as soon as possible. Consistency in mealtimes, bedtime rituals, and daily schedules can create a sense of normalcy.
- Create Space for Ongoing Open Conversations
- Encourage your children to express their feelings in ways that feel safe for them, whether through talking, drawing, or play. This is needed for some time after the traumatic event. Make sure to use simple, age-appropriate language to validate their fears without minimizing them. For example: “It’s okay to feel scared after what happened. I’m here to keep you safe.”
- Model Emotional Regulation
- Children often take emotional cues from their caregivers. While it’s okay to acknowledge your own fears, model how you manage stress constructively. Practices like deep breathing or mindfulness can be helpful tools you model and practice together.
- Incorporate Therapeutic Activities
- Creative outlets such as art, journaling, or even physical activities like dance can help children process their emotions. Younger children might benefit from playing out their experiences using toys, which allows them to work through fears symbolically.
- Address Specific Fears
- If your child develops specific fears, like my children’s temporary fear of smoke, gradually desensitize them in a supportive way. Start by discussing fire safety calmly and reassuringly, then progress to supervised activities like making smores together again on an open firepit while emphasizing control and safety.
- Foster Social Connections
- Strong social support is a critical protective factor. To mitigate feelings of isolation, encourage children to stay connected with friends, family, or trusted adults in person or virtually.
- Limit Exposure to Stressful Media
- Shield young children from graphic or repetitive news coverage about the disaster. Focus on age-appropriate explanations and updates.
- Seek Professional Help When Needed
- If your child’s symptoms persist or worsen, consider reaching out to a therapist trained in trauma-informed care. Techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or play therapy can be particularly effective.
Helping Yourself to Help Them
Remember, your own mental health plays a critical role in supporting your children. Caregiver stress can unintentionally heighten a child’s anxiety. Don’t hesitate to lean on your support system or seek therapy for yourself if needed.
Local Resources for Southern California Families
Here are some resources and organizations that can support families impacted by the Pacific Palisades fire:
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH): Offers trauma-focused counseling services for families. Call 1-800-854-7771.
- California HOPE (CalHOPE): Provides crisis counseling and emotional support following disasters. Visit www.calhope.org or call 1-833-317-HOPE.
- The Help Group: Specializes in therapy and support for children and teens. Visit www.thehelpgroup.org or call 877-943-5747.
- Disability & Disaster Hotline: The Partnership’s Disability & Disaster Hotline provides information, referrals, guidance, technical assistance, and resources to people with disabilities, families, allies, and organizations assisting disaster-impacted individuals with disabilities and others seeking assistance with immediate and urgent disaster-related needs. https://disasterstrategies.org/hotline/
Mutual Aid and Community Support (LA Based)
- Mutual Aid LA Network (MALAN): mutualaidLA.com for immediate community-based assistance.
- MALAN Fire Resource List: tiny.cc/malan_fire
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services: Helps with insurance claims, housing issues, and other legal matters post-disaster. bettzedek.org
- World Central Kitchen: Preparing and serving meals to communities impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. https://www.wck.org/relief/california-fires-jan25
Organizations to connect with or donate to:
- Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter’s Fund: To help the families of firefighters injured or killed in the line of duty or facing other crises. https://www.wodff.org/
- To directly support Black families displaced by the California Fires: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pK5omSsD4KGhjEHCVgcVw-rd4FZP9haoijEx1mSAm5c/edit sourced from @Ohwawa_.
- The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program: Los Angeles-based nonprofit that helps the formerly incarcerated transition into careers in firefighting. It provides training, certification, and job placement assistance. https://www.forestryfirerp.org/donation
Final Thoughts
Recovering from a wildfire isn’t just about rebuilding homes—it also includes healing hearts and minds. With intentional effort and support, you can guide your children through this challenging time, helping them emerge stronger and more resilient. You’re not alone in this journey, and together, as a community, we can foster recovery and hope.
Scholarly References
- Hoffmann, J. A., & Kousky, C. (2020). Supporting Children’s Mental Health Needs in Disasters. This article highlights the importance of addressing children’s emotional well-being through routine, communication, and professional support.
- Powell, T., Wegmann, K. M., & Backode, E. (2021). Coping and Post-Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents After Acute Onset Disasters. This systematic review discusses the role of coping strategies in mitigating post-disaster stress.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics. (2021). Providing Psychosocial Support to Children and Families in the Aftermath of Disasters. This report outlines practical strategies for pediatricians and families to promote resilience and recovery.