Wildfire evacuees face unequal support, Edmonton research shows

Research based in Edmonton is exposing significant gaps in support for Alberta wildfire evacuees. Interviews and focus groups with roughly 30 people who fled wildfires—including those from Alberta's 2023 and 2024 seasons and the 2016 Fort McMurray fire—show that some supports are inaccessible, unevenly distributed, and poorly coordinated.

Julie Drolet, a professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary's Edmonton campus, said the findings reveal impacts extend far beyond the initial danger. "People's support needs don't just end when they're out of the area of wildfire risk," Drolet said. "They continue to need support when they're displaced."

Evacuees spent weeks, months, and sometimes years displaced, facing complex stress. Many were housed in crowded hotels and shelters for long periods without clear return timelines. Some lived in campers and RVs, or stayed with friends in spaces lacking privacy, with access only to a kettle and microwave for cooking.

Simultaneously, evacuees couldn't work or secure income. Others couldn't access insurance or had lost key documents needed to claim supports. Families with children faced additional strain as kids remained out of school. Rural evacuees without transportation experienced the most hardship—most supports concentrated in Edmonton and Calgary meant those sent to remote areas received less help.

Even evacuees reaching cities struggled. People from rural communities suddenly managing complex urban life on top of displacement stress faced additional distress. Years later, many continued experiencing mental health issues, anxiety, panic, and grief. "Challenges were especially difficult for renters, low-income workers, older adults, and people without adequate insurance coverage," Drolet said.