response to Typhoon YAgi
The public health zine Tulane University fall 2024
Indigenous perspectives on disaster preparedness
Frozen Zombie Viruses
Significance of Data Storytelling Amidst Hurricanes
Wildfires and Post-Wildfire Hazards
A note from the editor...
This year, the world has faced countless disasters, from hurricanes to wildfires, wreaking havoc on communities across the globe. When all seemed lost, public health professionals stepped up to the challenge, fighting vehemently for all those affected at the front lines. While it is easy to look the other way if these crises do not directly impact us, remembering and reflecting is vital to building a better future. This issue of the Public Health Zine seeks to illuminate and immortalize these disasters and recognize the salient contributions of public health practitioners, organizations, and agencies in response efforts. In addition, as many of these disasters will only intensify in coming times as climate change threatens more populations, renewed focus and energy toward preparedness efforts is critical. As a community, our resilience is only as good as our information, and we hope this Zine will enhance your knowledge and understanding of disasters going into the future.
I would also like to recognize our staff members for their work this semester. Their tireless efforts are the backbone of this Zine, and they deserve immense credit for bringing high-quality, informed, and unique perspectives to this edition. Our team raises the bar with each consecutive issue, and I’m incredibly grateful for their hard work and dedication. Despite uncertain times ahead of us, our staff members are the future of the public health workforce, and I’m optimistic about the field’s future. I’m sure they will inspire similar confidence in you, and thank you for reading our Fall 2024 edition of the Public Health Zine.
- Ethan Moran
OUR fall 2024 STAFF
Editor-in-Chief
Ethan Moran operations management
ava christiansen
morgan mankowski
writers
Olivia Sam
Devan Pietrzak
Tulane Infectious Disease Club
Miles Brooke Cameron Kowitt
layout and design
ellie hood
International Public Health Response to Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam
by Olivia sam
As the U.S. shifted focus to the approaching Hurricane Francine, Typhoon Yagi raged across Southeast Asia as a Category 3 storm.1
Yagi made landfall in the Philippines on September 1st, moving across China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Of these countries, Vietnam was hit the hardest and suffered catastrophic damages. Three-hundred and
thirty people died in Vietnam as a result of the storm whose winds reached 120 miles per hour, triggering landslides and floods, as well as billions of dollars of damages.1,2 The hardest hit area was Northern Vietnam, where thousands were displaced and left without clean water or electricity after the storm’s damage to houses and infrastructure.3 In addition, health services in hard-hit areas were severely
Typhoon Yagi’s path and populated areas. Retrieved from Reuters.
UNICEF staff in Hanoi receive water purification supplies for distribution to Typhoon Yagi-affected communities. Retrieved from UNICEF Viet Nam.
After the disruption of basic supplies, one of the most considerable challenges to the aid effort in Vietnam was disseminating typhoon health safety information to ethnic minorities, particularly because many elders in ethnic minority communities only speak their local language.7
affected as healthcare facilities and basic medicine stocks were destroyed in the storm, leaving residents even more at risk for disease outbreaks brought on by the contaminated water.3 The catastrophic nature of the storm left many residents of Northern Vietnam vulnerable to malnutrition, water-borne diseases, and otherwise preventable illnesses.4 As the situation grew more dire, public health responses worldwide started providing aid and support to the hardest-hit communities. First, organizations swooped in to remedy the shortage of basic supplies the storm had created. One of the first organizations to provide aid was the United Nations World Food Programme, which provided food and cash assistance to countries like Vietnam hit the hardest by the storm.5 As the United Nations worked on strengthening the food supply, UNICEF immediately stepped in to provide safe water to communities whose water supplies the storm had destroyed.4 The most important supplies in this effort were water tanks, water filters, and water purification tablets, which helped quickly restore potable water to communities still reeling from the typhoon’s destruction.4 Further, to prevent disease spread from the contaminated water, UNICEF distributed hygiene and sanitation supplies such as hand sanitizer, soap, and ceramic filters to affected healthcare facilities and homes.6 UNICEF also focused on restoring clean water supplies to affected hospitals to fast-track their return to normal operation, providing 4,000 liters of water to the Lao Cai Provincial Hospital to help in this effort.6
As the threat of water-borne diseases like typhoid and dysentery became more urgent in affected communities, WHO collaborated with the Ministry of Health in Vietnam to create and translate broadcast messages both in Vietnamese and into common minority languages spoken in affected areas, including Tày and Nùng.7
In addition to the concentrated efforts of NGOs and the Vietnamese government, donations from outside governments also helped support recovery efforts. On September 11th, just days after the storm, the United States pledged $1 million for immediate relief efforts.8 The European Union also announced, in multiple installments, €2.3 million to affected countries, including some of the hardest hit provinces in Vietnam such as
Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Cao Bang, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Bac Giang, and Lang Son.9,10 South Korea also committed the equivalent of $1 million USD to aid efforts2, along with other countries like Switzerland and Australia.9
As public health efforts continue, the future direction of the support plan is to restore clean water infrastructure, rebuild food and medicine supplies, and rebuild damaged healthcare facilities. After this, public health efforts plan to focus on helping the more than two million children left without schools and their associated feeding programs.6 Nevertheless, amidst the destruction and debris of the super typhoon, donations and public health responses continue to pour in, demonstrating the strength of the support of a global community.
1. Us, R. S. W. (2024, September 10). Dozens dead in Vietnam after “worst typhoon” in 30 years. Theweek. https://theweek. com/environment/vietnam-typhoon-yagi-deaths
2. Asia News Network. “South Korea Contributes $1 Million to Vietnam’s Post-Typhoon Recovery Efforts.” Asia News Network, 15 Oct. 2024, https://asianews.network/southkorea-contributes-1-million-to-vietnams-post-typhoonrecovery-efforts/.
3. Pratt, Angela. “WHO Support for Health Sector Needs in the Aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.” World Health Organization, 2024, https://www.who.int/vietnam/news/commentaries/detail/ who-support-for-health-sector-needs-in-the-aftermath-oftyphoon-yagi#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20efforts%20 to,term%20supplies%20of%20clean%20water.
4. UNICEF. “Submerged by Contaminated Floodwater, Cuc’s Family Can Now Safely Drink Again.” UNICEF, 7 Oct. 2024, https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/stories/submergedcontaminated-floodwater-cucs-family-can-now-safelydrink-again.
5. United Nations. “WFP Rallies Support for Countries Devastated by Typhoon Yagi in Asia.” World Food Programme, 20 Sept. 2024, https://www.wfp.org/news/ wfp-rallies-support-countries-devastated-typhoon-yagiasia#:~:text=Typhoon%20Yagi%20%E2%80%93%20 the%20most%20powerful,already%20dealing%20with%20food%20insecurity.
6. UNICEF. “UNICEF Delivers Immediate Relief to Communities Affected by Devastating Super Typhoon Yagi in Northern Viet Nam.” UNICEF, 12 Sept. 2024, https://www.unicef.org/ vietnam/press-releases/unicef-delivers-immediate-reliefcommunities-affected-devastating-super-typhoon-yagi.
7. WHO. “Delivering Health Safety Information to Typhoon Yagi Affected Ethnic Minority Communities.” World Health Organization, 19 Sept. 2024, https://www.who.int/vietnam/ news/detail/19-09-2024-delivering-health-safetyinformation-to-typhoon-yagi-affected-ethnic-minoritycommunities.
8. US Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam. “United States Announces $1 Million for Immediate Relief Efforts Following Typhoon Yagi.” US Embassy & Consulate in Vietnam, 11 Sept. 2024, https://vn.usembassy.gov/united-states-announces-1million-for-immediate-relief-efforts-following-typhoon-yagi/.
9. EU releases €2.2 million in emergency assistance to help victims of typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia. (2024, September 18). European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid. ec.europa.eu/news-stories/news/eu-releases-eu22-millionemergency-assistance-help-victims-typhoon-yagi-southeastasia-2024-09-18_en
10. Nguyễn, Vân. “First Countries and International Organizations Provide Emergency Assistance for Vietnam’s Typhoon Yagi Victims.” VnEconomy, 14 Sept. 2024, https://en.vneconomy. vn/first-countries-and-international-organizations-provideemergency-assistance-for vietnams-typhoon-yagi-victims. htm
by Devan Pietrzak
Rooted in Resilience: Indigenous Experiences of Disaster Preparation/Recovery
Amid
Climate Crisis
As climate change and natural disasters increasingly threaten New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, it is more important than ever to seek the insights and perspectives of Indigenous communities to understand the challenges they face and work together to build community resilience amid disasters. While most New Orleans citizens have felt the impacts of climate change and natural disasters, these effects are becoming disproportionately more difficult for Indigenous communities. When looking at how Indigenous communities have faced disasters, it’s important to acknowledge the impacts of historical oppression/marginalization and ecological racism (such as continued inequalities in accessible healthcare and educational opportunities) that Indigenous communities have faced and continue to face, making the losses and damages from these disasters even more severe. Despite these injustices, Indigenous communities have lived in the area for hundreds of years and have successfully navigated disasters time and time again- a testament to their strength, resilience, and respect/
knowledge of the land. Currently, there are 4 federally recognized tribes in Louisiana and 11 that are state-recognized and not federally recognized such as the United Houma Nation and the Point-au-Chien.1 These non-federally recognized tribes were slammed by Hurricane Ida in 2021 and have spent the past 3 years trying to rebuild the damage.2 In the Point-au-Chien community, nearly every tribal citizen’s home was destroyed or severely damaged.3 Likewise, around half of the over 17,000 members experienced significant damage or destroyed homes in the United Houma Nation.4 Despite the severe damages that both communities experienced, there has been little to no support from the federal government because they are not federally recognized tribes.2 This lack of federal recognition means tribes are often excluded from environmental and public health policy conversations for the same disasters that directly impact these communities.2 Yet, Houma Nation and Point-au-Chien aren’t the only tribes around the Gulf left out of policy conversations and federal disaster support. Catherine McKinley et. al’s (2019) study on the
hurricanes on Indigenous families found that “(approximately 80%) of staterecognized tribes live in the southeastern U.S., with over half of these staterecognized tribes residing on the Gulf Coast or hurricane affected areas”.5 Because state-recognized tribes do not have access to the same resources as federally recognized tribes, they experience the most disaster risks and receive the lowest support from the government.2
adaptation strategies.9
Apart from external projects and organizations like these, some tribes have occasionally been able to work with Louisiana state agencies and the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs.10 Even with external organizations and minor support from the state, gaining federal recognition would significantly bolster disaster preparation and recovery efforts. Federal recognition would give tribes like Houma and Point-au-Chien the ability to directly negotiate aid and have resources delivered to their communities faster.² Additionally, tribal citizens would be eligible for healthcare through the Indian Health Service (IHS).5
As the battle to gain federal recognition and increased support from state agencies continues, local Indigenous tribes are also faced with new challenges in disaster recovery/preparation as they experience land loss from coastal erosion and other impacts of climate change. In a 2024 interview with BBC News, Chris Brunet, a member of the Isle de Charles band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw tribe details why most tribal citizens felt forced by coastal erosion to relocate from the rapidly disappearing Isle de Jean, (where their tribe has been settled since the 1830s), stating that they “Could deal with hurricanes…We’ve always had hurricanes, I was raised with those challenges. But our island was disappearing.”11 Ultimately, it’s not the disaster that poses the biggest threat but rather the land loss that leaves communities even more vulnerable when hit by these disasters.11
Professor and director of Tulane’s Native American and Indigenous studies program, Dr. Judith Maxwell, explains that this lack of federal support along with repeated trauma and marginalization has taught Indigenous communities to rely mainly on themselves, external organizations, and Indigenous networks such as USET: United South and Eastern Tribes–a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization that works to help support and improve the quality of life for Indigenous peoples.6 Dr. Maxwell also notes that other external organizations have been working with these Indigenous communities and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is working with tribes to restore wetlands.7 The ByWater Institute of Tulane has also been working with tribes to address issues like coastal restoration, severe weather events, and other environmental hazards.8 Additionally, EMPOWER (Enabling Meaningful Progress for Water Equity and Resilience through the Greater New Orleans Regional Water Plan) is a project that focuses on making safe water more accessible to marginalized communities while incorporating climate change
Dr. Maxwell highlights how coastal erosion impacts hurricane/disaster resilience, revealing that while traditional resilience strategies can help disaster management, “Oil company dredging and pumping and spillage moves faster than communities and nature can adapt and rebound.” In light of this, many Indigenous community members like Chris Brunet are forced to consider relocating and leaving their home, a place that holds significant cultural and spiritual value to them. Relocating after a disaster can be traumatic for anyone; however, for Indigenous community members, this experience is compounded by their deep-rooted connections to the land and the historical trauma of forced relocation and efforts to erase their culture.
The trauma and potential mental health issues that come with having to relocate and deal with these losses is a public health issue; permanent relocation shouldn’t be
viewed as a solution but rather a last resort in disaster public health management. In an interview from Yale Climate Connections, Point-au-Chien member Theresa Dardar speaks to the trauma of relocation, stating, “If you pull out a tree and you let the roots dry up, it dies. And we feel that that’s what would happen to us: Our spirit would die if we were to be removed from our land.”12
For Indigenous communities across the Gulf to survive and thrive so that they can continue to be resilient and recover in the face of these disasters, it is critical that more funding is dedicated towards coastal restoration, that oil and manufacturing companies are held accountable, and that stricter regulations are placed on these companies. While Coastal restoration and land loss remain at the forefront of discussions on disaster preparedness and resilience issues for local tribes, Dr. Maxwell explains that in regards to disaster preparedness/recovery strategies,
Waterways in Isle de Jean Charles are becoming wider due to coastal erosion. Credit Lucy Sheriff. Retrieved from BBC.
other key focus points of tribes may be water, food security, community-based access to wellness centers, emergency and palliative health care systems, and educational opportunities K-12 within a 30-mile radius.
As our world changes and natural disasters become more frequent, there must be a widespread commitment towards listening to, learning from, and collaborating with Indigenous communities to reduce the impacts of climate change/ coastal erosion so that when disaster strikes, all peoples are prepared and receive the support they need. In reflecting on the resilience of these Indigenous communities and the challenges they face in times of disaster, it’s clear that the best disaster preparedness and recovery strategies consider physical health, environmental health, and collective community health. Lessons learned from their experiences can help inform broader public health initiatives reminding us that resilience is built on connection—both to each other and the environments we inhabit.
1. “American Indians in Louisiana - Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (U.S. National Park Service).” Www.nps.gov, www.nps.gov/jela/learn/historyculture/nativeamericans-in-louisiana.htm.
2. “Why Some Indigenous Tribes Are Being Left behind in Louisiana’s Ida Recovery.” PBS NewsHour, 20 Oct. 2021, www. pbs.org/newshour/nation/why-some-Indigenous-tribes-arebeing-left-behind-in-louisianas-ida-recovery.
3. “HOME | Pointe Au Chien Indian Tribe.” Pointe Au Chien Ind, www.pactribe.com/.
4. “After Ida, This Louisiana Tribe Is Organizing Its Own Recovery.” In These Times, in-these-times, 17 Nov. 2021, inthesetimes.com/article/louisiana-hurricane-native-tribeclimate-resilience. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
5. McKinley, Catherine E., et al. “Hurricanes and Indigenous Families: Understanding Connections with Discrimination, Social Support, and Violence on PTSD.” Journal of Family Strengths, vol. 19, no. 1, 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC7059777/.
6. United South & Eastern Tribes. www.usetinc.org.
7. NOAA. “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.” Noaa.gov, 2008, www.noaa.gov.
8. “It Starts with a Drop | the ByWater Institute at Tulane University.” Tulane.edu, 2023, bywater.tulane.edu. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
9. “Enabling Meaningful Progress for Water Equity and Resilience through the Greater New Orleans Regional Water Plan.” Noaa.gov, 2024, coast.noaa.gov/states/stories/neworleans.html. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
10. “Indian Affairs.” Louisiana.gov, 2024, http://gov.louisiana.gov/ page/indian-affairs. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
11. “This Louisiana Town Moved to Escape Climate-Linked Disaster.” Www.bbc.com, www.bbc.com/future/ article/20240130-this-louisiana-town-moved-to-escapeclimate-disaster.
12. Ennis, Bridgett. “Gulf Coast Tribe Fights to Rebuild Three Years after Hurricane Ida.” Yale Climate Connections, 29 Aug. 2024, yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/08/gulf-coast-tribefights-to-rebuild-three-years-after-hurricane-ida/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
Frozen zombie viruses by The Tulane Infectious Disease Research Club (IDC)
Anika
An Overview of Zombie Viruses
The zombie viruses in Siberian permafrost are the things of sci-fi horror novels. However, their terrifying reality on Earth warrants further research and investigation. These “Methuselah microbes” are ancient infectious agents that remain viable in permafrost.1 They are being released with the gradual heating of the earth, especially accelerated with global warming.2 Researchers fear a medical emergency, like an outbreak or epidemic, could occur, and any infection/disease would be completely new to our current immune systems and scientific research.3
So far, thirteen viruses discovered in the permafrost have been found to remain infectious after thawing.2 These pathogens are ancient, and one virus that scientists revived, Pandoravirus yedoma, is 48,500 years old.2 Alongside this, 42,000-year-old nematode worms were resurrected from permafrost, however, their viability in today’s environment is unknown.4 Current research on these viruses, bacteria, and parasites is primarily conducted by digging up and isolating the pathogens in the Siberian permafrost, as well as climate change, which is melting the permafrost at unprecedented rates.5
Luckily, scientists found that the isolated Pandoravirus strains do not affect human health and only infect amoebae.2 However, other microbes inside permafrost may trigger illness in humans and animals. While investigating the isolated microbes, scientists “identified genomic traces of poxviruses and herpesviruses, which are well-known human pathogens.”1 Frozen diseases are already creating problems in Russia, where in 2016, 36 people became ill and one boy died after contracting anthrax from an infected reindeer carcass that had died many years earlier.5,6
Bhowmick, Kayla Carey, Simone Cappon, Tri Le, Lina Moses, Lily O’Connor, Tejus Walia
Scientists looking for virsues. Retrieved from Polar Journal.
What Public Health Authorities Can Do
To track the emergence of any potential diseases, authorities could increase monitoring and set up networks to track any potential spread to animals or humans. Regularly tracking the areas where permafrost is melting could alert officials to potential outbreak locations. Setting up awareness campaigns would help bring attention to the emerging virus in the Arctic or Siberian areas where these diseases are more likely to emerge.7 Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit further melting of the permafrost would be a global strategy to prevent the emergence of these ancient microbes in the first place.7
In the case of an emergency, decontaminating areas that have already been exposed to these zombie viruses would best decrease the threat posed. Setting up quarantine measures in infected areas could prevent the virus from spreading globally. If a frozen disease emerges, Arctic and Siberian mining and shipping would also have to cease operations to avert more people from being infected and the infection from spreading to other countries through shipping and trade. Most of the diseases with the potential to become human pandemics or epidemics are viruses so washing your hands properly, distancing from others, and following most of the protocols we followed during COVID-19 could help.1
Permafrost. Retrieved from The Weather Channel.
How to Survive a Zombie Virus Apocalypse
If and when a zombie virus decides to emerge from the melting permafrost, it’s your time to channel your inner survivalist. We must plan from individual and societal perspectives to preserve ourselves and not succumb to the zombie virus! So follow these basic steps if you want to survive.
What can you do, as an individual, to survive? Step one: isolate! The best way to avoid the zombie virus is to hide from it, so avoid contact with humans that you don’t live with. It is also important to practice good hand washing and mask-wearing in public, to avoid being infected by the walking dead. Stay up to date with reliable information and beware of zombie virus misinformation! Finally, don’t forget to stock up on survival essentials: food, water, thermometers, and other first-aid equipment.
What can society do to survive?
We need surveillance measures such as zombie virus testing and contact tracing. To create vaccines, we can follow COVID19’s “Operation Warp Speed,” but this time it’s called “Operation Warp Speed: Zombie Edition!” With this, the government must stockpile PPE and vaccines and communicate clear messages to the public. Fighting a zombie virus apocalypse is impossible if the public is confused. Following these measures is the best way to survive a Zombie Virus Apocalypse. Good Luck!
1. McKie, R. (2024, January 25). Arctic Zombie Viruses in Siberia Could Spark Terrifying New Pandemic, Scientists Warn. Health | the Guardian. https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2024/ jan/21/arctic-zombie-viruses-in-siberia-could-sparkterrifying-new-pandemic-scientists-warn
2. Alempic, J., Lartigue, A., Goncharov, A. E., Grosse, G., Strauss, J., Tikhonov, A. N., Fedorov, A. N., Poirot, O., Legendre, M., Santini, S., Abergel, C., & Claverie, J. (2023). An Update on Eukaryotic Viruses Revived From Ancient Permafrost. Viruses, 15(2), 564. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020564
3. Kubny, H. (2024, April 12). Arctic “Zombie Viruses” Could Trigger a New Pandemic. Polarjournal. https://polarjournal. ch/en/2024/04/12/arctic-zombie-viruses-could-trigger-anew-pandemic/
4. Mohite, P., Pandhare, R., Mukerjee, N., Sharma, R., Dey, A., Mohapatra, R. K., Mishra, S., Sarangi, A. K., Padhi, B. K., & Sah, R. (2023). Zombie virus revitalized from permafrost: Facts and fiction. New Microbes and New Infections, 53, 101113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101113
5. Cohen, J. (2023, September 27). Permafrost can imprison dangerous microbes for centuries. Will the Arctic thaw release them? In AAAS Articles DO Group. https://doi.org/10.1126/ science.adl0079
6. Stella, E., Mari, L., Gabrieli, J., Barbante, C., & Bertuzzo, E. (2020). Permafrost dynamics and the risk of anthrax transmission: a modelling study. Scientific Reports, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-72440-6
7. Datta, N., & Karmakar, K. (2024, July). View of the rise of the zombie viruses: The Hidden danger of the arctic thaw. https:// exonjournal.com/index.php/about/article/view/4
Significance of Data storytelling amidst hurricanes
by Miles brook
Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, or X have emerged as critical sources for emergency responders, decision-makers, and the general public during natural disasters such as hurricanes. While emergency communication on social media has many benefits, it is also important to assess all information through a critical perspective, especially non-peer-reviewed news on social media.
Given this busy hurricane season, ample information is fed to people through social media platforms on different claims or figures, making it difficult to find helpful and practical guidance. From those living in the thick of the storm to those assessing the weather broadcast or the aftermath, it’s important to dig deeper into where your news comes from and what matters for your health and safety. When preparing information for members of the public, data storytelling is a salient tool as it presents an engaging way to hear large sums of data or information.
Administration (NOAA) uses data storytelling to inform the public about future storms. NOAA first collects data through a comprehensive process that starts with NOAA satellites orbiting the Earth, continuously observing storm structures.2 If there is a chance that the cyclone will threaten land, the NHC sends a U.S. Air Force reserve and NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft to fly through the storm to investigate further.2 Using this data, NOAA issues Tropical Weather Outlooks every six hours to discuss areas of disturbed weather and their potential for development in the following week, giving the public an idea of what to expect and if they may be at risk for damage or loss of life in a storm.2
In hurricane reporting, data storytelling plays a significant role. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) division within the National Oceanic Atmospheric
Hurricane forecasters analyze computer models to monitor a disturbance in the Caribbean. Retrieved from NOAA.
The NOAA 5-day outlook and the NOAA outlook for Hurricane Francine. Retrieved from NOAA.
These outlooks are easy to read, showing locations where potential storms may strike. Clicking different areas of interest shows the projected paths of future hurricanes, giving people in at-risk areas advanced warning.
NOAA outlooks cut through social media’s noise, giving people an accurate, transparent picture of what to expect from an upcoming hurricane. This is a prime example of data storytelling as a public health tool, as they take complex ideas and break them into bite-sized pieces to better connect with their audience. The NOAA’s work is life-saving and increasingly important as we continue to see the effects of climate change on extreme weather events. When preparing for a storm, rely on NOAA forecasts instead of tweets and headlines to inform your disaster readiness plans.
1. Lewis, W. D. L. M. R. a. J. N. B. &. M. (2023, March 29). The power of public health storytelling. Copyright 2022 the Regents of the University of Michigan. https://sph.umich.edu/ pursuit/2023posts/the-power-of-public-health-storytelling. html
2. Hurricane forecasting. (n.d.). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/ explainers/hurricane-forecasting
Wildfires and post-wildfire hazards
by CAMERON KOWITT
Wildfires are increasingly recognized as a dramatic emblem of climate change in the United States. From January to October 2024, over 40,000 fires burned in the U.S., impacting over 7,800,000 acres.1
The cascading hazards after these wildfires can be detrimental to the initial damage caused by the wildfire, posing long-term threats to the natural ecosystem and man-made infrastructure. These include mudslides and debris flows after floods from wildfire damage.2 When a wildfire spreads through a landscape, different factors in the environment landscape can intensify the secondary disasters that occur afterward.
As a wildfire grows, it will go through four stages: incipient, growth, fully developed, and decay.3 In the incipient
stage, a fire starts and a fuel source mixed with heat and oxygen creates ignition.3 Next, growth allows the fire to spread and burn. A fire is fully developed when the temperature reaches its highest point, and this is the time when there is rapid spread, which can be detrimental to forests and grasslands.3 In the decay stage, the fire decreases and dies down. These stages determine the aftermath, and knowing them can help determine mitigation steps for the initial and cascading hazards.
The stages of fire. Retrieved from Red Hawk Fire Protection.
The mark of a fire can have longterm effects on the landscape it touches. When a fire grows and burns with great power, it burns vegetation in its path. This loss of vegetation causes soil erosion, making it harder for soil to absorb water.4 When storms or water runoff occur after wildfires, the lack of water absorption by the soil can lead to floods.4 Floods also contribute heavily to mudflows; when water moves down steep slopes, it may carry along loose soil, wreaking havoc in its path.5 On the other hand, debris flows can also be caused by floods picking up large sediment and debris after wildfires, including loose trees, branches, and ash.5 Mudflows are large quantities of mud, dirt, and other debris that fall from mountains, hills, and slopes. While debris
flows are technically a type of mudflow, they differ significantly. Debris flows contain sediment, burned vegetation, ash, sand, and silt, while mudflows consist of liquid and flowing mud.6 All of these are directly correlated to potential damage after wildfires, and the debris left over or not touched by wildfires can increase the intensity of both mudslides and debris flows.6 Debris flows are especially hazardous as they may occur with little to no warning, exert great force as they move, block drainages, and can separate homes from their foundations in residential areas.2,7
While wildfires are dangerous on their own, it is important to understand the secondary hazards they may cause and the role of climate change in this growing problem. Public health officials must understand the different facets of this issue to educate and inform disaster preparedness plans for the future. This growing crisis requires comprehensive crisis management due to the various environmental and health effects that wildfires may cause.
1. National Fire News | National Interagency Fire Center. (n.d.). https://www.nifc.gov/fire-information/nfn
2. Napa County. (n.d.). Debris flows and their dangers. Retrieved from https://www.countyofnapa.org/Faq.aspx?QID=832
3. Wildfire Control Association. (n.d.). The four stages of fire growth explained. Retrieved from https://wfca.com/wildfirearticles/the-four-stages-of-fire-growth-explained
4. U.S. Forest Service. (n.d.). After the fire: Post-wildfire impacts. Retrieved from https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/ fire/after-fire
5. Aon Edge. (n.d.). Wildfires, mudslides, and flood insurance. Retrieved from https://www.aonedge.com/Resource-Center/ Blog/Wildfires,-Mudslides-and-Flood-Insurance
6. San Mateo County. (2021). Debris flows and flooding: Postwildfire hazards. Retrieved from https://www.smcgov.org/ sites/default/files/2021-11/Debris%20Flows%20and%20 Flooding%20Final.pdf
7. U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.). What should I know about wildfires and debris flows? Retrieved from https://www.usgs. gov/faqs/what-should-i-know-about-wildfires-and-debrisflows
This is not an official Tulane University sponsored publication. The views and opinions contained herein by the various authors do not necessarily reflect the official views, opinions, or policy of Tulane administrators, staff, or faculty. All material contained herein are the views and opinions of students and may not reflect the views of all students on campus.
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