“Hope is in Our Hands:” Impacts of the Slave Lake Wildfires in Alberta, Canada on Children

Wildfires are increasingly common events that in some instances have led to mass evacuations and devastation. Although there is an increased interest in assessing the impacts on humans, there is limited information about the impacts on children. This chapter is based upon research after the devastating 2011 wildfires in a rural area of western Canada where the entire population was evacuated, homes and businesses were lost, and the communities underwent an extensive recovery and rebuilding effort. School surveys were conducted with children (n = 58 in Grades 3 and 4 and n = 82 in Grades 5–12). The PTSD-RI – DSM-IV-TR for Children and Adolescents instrument was used 6 and 12 months after the fires. Results focus on the younger age group and indicate that younger children experienced higher levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as did those whose homes burned despite their age. Implications for teachers, related professionals, and schools are included.