Climate change has led to drought, hotter summers and longer fire seasons in California. The wildfires have only grown more intense and widespread as the state heats up. To make matters worse, wildland firefighters are short-staffed and overworked– leaving them exhausted and traumatized.
South Asian culture often gives precedence to physical health, sometimes at the expense of mental health needs. You might hear, “If you are physically healthy, you’re fine.” If someone expresses being anything less than happy or content (for whatever reason), the response is often, “you have a loving family, you don’t have to worry about where your next meal comes from, you have a roof over your head, why are you so dissatisfied?”