POLICY BRIEF article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1592688
Mental Health Measures during Wildfires: The Case of Ofunato
Provisionally accepted
- Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan
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Climate change is increasing the threat of wildfires, causing severe physical, economic, and psychological impacts. This study analyzed the mental health effects of the February 2025 wildfire in Ofunato City, using government reports, media coverage, and disaster-related mental health studies. Stress, PTSD, social isolation, and economic hardship were identified as key issues, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with chronic illnesses. Economic instability from unemployment and delayed recovery may worsen these mental health outcomes. Effective interventions include immediate psychological support, long-term counseling, and rebuilding social connections. Collaboration among local governments, medical institutions, and support groups is essential to provide comprehensive mental health care, enhance community resilience, and support residents affected by wildfires' recovery.
Keywords: Wildfire, Mental Health, PTSD, Community resilience, Disaster recovery
Received: 12 Mar 2025; Accepted: 07 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kotozaki. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yuka Kotozaki, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan
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