As part of Oregon Ready, KLCC’s series on disaster preparedness, we’re turning to a piece that often gets overlooked: the mental‑health impact of wildfire smoke, evacuation threats, and the lingering memories many still carry from previous disasters.
While wildfire smoke eventually clears, public health officials say the emotional impact can linger much longer.
Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s state epidemiologist, says that's something many people experience every year when wildfire season returns.
“Unfortunately, it's becoming far too common and more common as we face these disasters, having a significant number of wildfires and many people impacted in the tragedies that come with that,” said Sidelinger. “Each time a new fire comes along and each time we talk about air quality and the steps we can take, it does remind us of those and can bring up those memories, the anxiety and the stress."
For people who find themselves feeling anxious when the air turns smoky, or when alerts begin appearing on their phones, Sidelinger says those reactions are understandable.
Anxiety as an early warning system
But mental health professionals say stress and anxiety aren't always negative. In many cases, they're designed to help us recognize danger and respond.
Deanna Linville, a Eugene-based therapist and owner/ director of the Center for Transformative Healing, says the goal isn't to eliminate those feelings. It's learning how to use them. "Unfortunately, a lot of people view anxiety as a bad thing, but I think fear and anxiety is just - it tells us to pay attention. "
She said fear can function a lot like a warning light. It’s a signal that can motivate people to prepare before an emergency happens.
Linville said where anxiety becomes less helpful is when people become trapped in worst-case scenarios without taking action.
“If we're imagining something like a disaster, an earthquake, or fires or whatever, it's a normal human response to have some anxiety around that, said Linville. “Just kind of notice that and recognize that it's a normal human response and then, think about how that anxiety can help you prepare and have choices versus maybe getting stuck in imagining the worst, which really doesn't actually help you use that anxiety for good.”
In this way, preparedness isn't really about eliminating fear. It's about creating enough certainty that fear doesn't take over.
And that's where practical planning comes in.
"If we're prepared and know the steps that we can take in the event of an emergency, in the event of poor air quality in our community, we can kind of deal with that, take those active steps to protect our safety and our health," said Sidelinger.
The power of connection
That preparation can take many forms, from emergency supplies and air filters to something less tangible: staying connected to other people.
Sidelinger encourages “a network that you can rely on, that you can call, that you can turn to for support, and then being that person for others to let them know that you're there if they, if they need anything and just want to talk, those are all important things we can do to prepare for an emergency."
Connecting with others can also help families and communities recognize that people approach preparedness very differently. Some are motivated to make plans right away. Others cope by avoiding the topic altogether. Neither response is unusual.
Mental health professionals say those differences don't necessarily mean people are working toward different goals. More often, they're simply taking different paths toward the same sense of safety and readiness.
Linville says it helps to keep the concept of equifinality in mind. “There are multiple avenues to the same endpoint. It's more about everyone kind of understanding themselves and then being able to listen and understand each other,” she said.
As Oregon continues adapting to longer wildfire seasons and more frequent smoke events, Sidelinger adds that once you've taken some steps to help you feel more certain about how you’ll respond if a disaster strikes, it's important to give yourself permission to step away.
"We also need to just take a break from the news, so we don't need to watch the news continuously or scroll through our social media or other feeds on our phone and be continuously reminded," said Sidelinger.
And he reinforces the idea that preparedness doesn't have to happen all at once: "Don't let the thought of preparing for wildfires overwhelm you. You can take small steps each time."
Small steps, greater confidence
And that’s been the big lesson so far as we move our way through Oregon Ready: readiness is less about one big action and more about a collection of small ones. We’ve covered signing up for emergency alerts. Storing away extra food and water. Gathering important documents in one place, and much more.
This month adds another piece to that picture: taking care of ourselves and each other.
Fear and anxiety may be part of living through wildfire season. But experts say preparedness can help turn those feelings into action, and action into confidence and empowerment instead of worry.
