Wildfire
Climate Resilience and Adaptation Toolkit
Overview
The majority of California school districts today are at moderate or higher risk for wildfires. Californian students face risks from both devastation to homes and school buildings and from the impact of smoke and particulate pollution. Wildfire smoke is extremely toxic to children – up to ten times more toxic than other forms of air pollution. Wildfire smoke exposure results in worsening childhood asthma, weakened immune systems, increased risk of metabolic disorders, and lower cognitive functioning, among other impacts. In addition, the impact of wildfire smoke has been demonstrated to decrease test scores, in part by leading to significant lost learning days when schools close due to unsafe air quality. Wildfire smoke now drives the vast majority of school closures in California, which tend to last longer than school closures due to other causes.
Schools today can take active steps to ensure that they can stay open and provide healthy learning environments in the face of wildfire smoke, while also preventing wildfires from affecting their buildings and grounds.
Wildfire Destruction Prevention Strategies: Retrofit facilities with fire resistant materials; remove flammable materials to create defensible perimeters around buildings; remove entry points for embers; and plant fire-adapted native plants on school grounds.
Wildfire Smoke Mitigation Strategies: Install air quality monitoring systems that provide real-time information to help leaders respond when smoke reaches dangerous levels. Ensure HVAC systems are upgraded with HEPA filters, and seal windows and doors to keep indoor air clean and free from smoke during wildfire events. Implement recommendations for outdoor activities based on air quality.
LEA Action Example for Wildfire Considerations
San Mateo COE: Climate Change and Emergency Management
The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) has established the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities, a collaborative, multi-agency group focused on creating safe and supportive schools and communities. It has developed resources (see below) for addressing facilities, hazard responses, air quality, fire watches, and is expanding and deepening its work to include emerging climate threats such as flooding and high heat. Learn more about how SMCOE has integrated a climate ready mindset into their emergency management protocols:
Open Door: Climate Emergencies - Preparing for a New Normal (Watch from 30:30)
Spotlight Case Study: How the San Mateo County Office of Education Helps Districts and Schools Become Climate Ready
SMCOE's Specific AirQuality and Fire Resources:
School Air Quality Activity Recommendations (Spanish Activity Recommendations): Follow this guide to determine what activities are safe for different air quality conditions.
Air Quality Resources (Spanish Air Quality Resources): Learn how you can track air quality and prepare for days when air quality is poor.
Fire Watch Guidance: Learn how to set up a fire watch when a school’s fire alarm, sprinkler, or other fire suppression system is inoperable while the risk of fire danger is high.
Hazard Response Guidance Fire Off-Site (pg 6-7); Fire On-Site (pgs 8-9); Poor Air Quality (p 14)
Student Release Guidance for Schools following an evacuation or emergency incident on campus
SMCOE's General Emergency Resources:
Big Five Emergency Management - guidance and tools for planning and communicating about emergencies, including wildfire
Explore Your Data
Explore the data for your region regarding wildfires. Note that some counties may include different biomes (coastal, urban, forest, dessert, agricultural lands, etc.) - explore impacts by biome here.
Additional Resources to Explore for Wildfire Emergency Management for Schools
CalOES and CDE guide: California Emergency Management for Schools: A Guide for Districts and Sites: This guide, a collaboration between the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the California Department of Education (CDE), is a tool to assist in implementing comprehensive school safety planning and provides relevant information, resources, and tools for educational administrators, faculty, and staff. It includes many resources related to wildfires and schools.
EPA Guidance: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a guide for Indoor Air Quality in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Their guidance highlights the ASHRAE (formerly the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) released Guideline 44 Protecting Building Occupants from Smoke During Wildfire and Prescribed Burn Events.
CDE and ACSA Guidance: The California Department of Education (CDE) and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) have developed resources that provide guidance on wildfires and associated wildfire smoke.
The CDE announced updated guidance on air quality for schools during wildfire smoke days (October 2024).
The CDE and ACSA also have a guide for schools: Get Smart about Wildfire Smoke - Guidelines for Schools.
Trauma Informed Practices (TIP) and Wildfires
Experiencing or witnessing wildfires can be traumatic for the children, adolescents, and adults within a school community. It is important to consider how to best integrate trauma informed practices into the phases of emergency preparedness, and to equip classroom educators and administrators with the tools they need to implement trauma informed practices with students and families. Explore resources and implementation tools at the Resource Center for Environmental and Climate Action in Schools.
