Dr. Sarah Marie Wiebe
Aftermath Governance
Rebuilding through the aftermath: from wildfire management governance gap to collaborative care across the Pacific
About the project
In June 2021 and August 2023, two fatal wildfire events occurred. One fire left the community of Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, almost completely burned in 2021. Then, in 2023, a series of wildfires spread across the island of Maui, leaving thousands of structures destroyed. Disasters are matters of life and death. They present a pivotal moment to pause, reflect and recalibrate our understanding of societal values, what we hold dear and how we can care for one another. These events invite a radical awakening and a reimagining of what is possible, beyond the colonial, unsustainable status quo.
This research poses and addresses a guiding question: What might collaborative, caring governance look like with respect to wildfire management and emergency response? In response, we drew upon academic studies, media accounts and survivor testimonies in both Lytton, BC, and Lahaina, a community on the island of Maui. We explain how this is a pivotal moment to consider alternative futures and to critically reflect on collaborative governance in places across the Pacific Ocean and around the world.
Our findings reflect a mapping of key policy players, contested responsibilities and actors, as well as a review of official and local narratives about aftermath governance, drawing upon the voices of those with lived experience of climate disasters alongside formal policy documents and perspectives. This research demonstrates how storytelling is a powerful source of knowledge that should inform evidence-based policy analysis and decision-making about disaster events generally and those related to climate change in particular.