Wildfire displacement in the United States: a qualitative synthesis of the social consequences

Abstract Wildfire-driven displacement is an urgent and underexamined dimension of social vulnerability in the United States. This study synthesizes findings from a qualitative systematic review of the core empirical research on wildfire-induced displacement with new data collected through a pilot study of those affected by the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton Fires in Los Angeles County. Results show that demographic and structural inequities are consistent across studies, with Latino, non-White, and non-English-speaking populations facing higher risk of exposure and lower likelihood of recovery. Despite growing research, the literature remains fragmented: most studies lack longitudinal tracking, community engagement, and multilingual survey instruments, which constrains our understanding of who is displaced and how recovery unfolds. Findings from our pilot study reinforce these gaps, revealing high rates of nonresponse and underrepresentation among people with lower socio-economic status and other at-risk groups, despite bilingual and community-partnered outreach. These results underscore the need for equity-focused, longitudinal, and community-engaged disaster research to inform more inclusive policy and climate adaptation efforts. Addressing these persistent gaps is critical to ensuring that disaster response and recovery efforts reach those most affected by wildfire and other climate-exacerbated hazards.