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Evacuation and displacement

Wildfires can force people to leave their homes with little notice, leading to both short-term evacuations and longer-term displacement.

Beyond the immediate challenges of moving people to safety, affected communities may face prolonged disruption, loss of housing, impacts on livelihoods and difficulties returning or rebuilding. Planning, timely warnings and clear communication are essential to ensure evacuations reach and support everyone, particularly those most at risk. Explore the latest research, insights and resources on wildfire evacuation and how communities can strengthen preparedness and response.

Explore the latest research, insights and resources on wildfire-related evacuation and displacement, and the measures needed to support safe, inclusive and resilient recovery.

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A Los Angeles resident observes the approaching wildfire
Update
Millions of people were evacuated during disasters last year

Globally, the displacement of people due to the impacts of disasters and climate change is now at a record high. Evacuations are an important life-saving emergency response – a temporary measure to move people to safety in the face of imminent harm.

Conversation Media Group, the
Update
US: Revisiting the Homestead Act

Encouraging people to move to rural towns can revitalize communities that are in decline. They may also hold a key to coping with anticipated domestic climate migration as climate impacts make parts of the country unlivable.

Conversation Media Group, the
Update
Life at disaster’s edge: What it means to start over – again and again

‘It feels like the calamity never ends. We live through one crisis after another.’

The New Humanitarian
Update
2021 is “make or break year” for Climate Action

2021 must be the year for climate action – “the make it or break it year,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Documents and publications
State of the global climate 2020

This report also demonstrates the impact of this warming, both on the planet’s ecosystems and on individuals and communities, through superstorms, flooding, heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Documents and publications
Disaster, disability and displacement

This paper is a first step towards bridging the knowledge gap on how men, women and children with disabilities are disproportionately affected in disaster settings.

Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
Documents and publications
Black Saturday bushfires: counting the cost

This brief presents research undertaken into the economic legacy of Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 in Victoria, Australia. The authors computed the disaster severity of 12 non-contiguous bushfire hotspots of varying sizes within the state of Victoria

Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR)
Documents and publications
The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires: from temporary evacuation to longer-term displacement

This report presents the first comprehensive figures and analysis of the patterns of displacement associated with the 2019 - 2020 bushfire season.

Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)
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