Disaster preparedness and community helping behaviour in the wake of the 2020 Oregon wildfires.

Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity due to climate change. Individual-level behavioral responses - including disaster preparedness and community helping actions (e.g., volunteering, donating) - supplement government efforts to respond to such events but have rarely been explored together. Using data from a survey of 1308 Oregonians administered within 6 months of the 2020 Oregon wildfires, we examine and compare a range of sociodemographic, experiential, attitudinal, and communication-related factors associated with these two types of individual-level behavioral responses. Findings indicate that respondents who reported experiencing a higher degree of harm and more concern about climate change after experiencing the 2020 wildfires were more likely to report preparedness and community helping actions. Those who reported more frequent informal discussions about the wildfires; who consulted a higher number of sources to seek information about wildfires; and who reported higher percentages of friends, neighbors, and community members taking actions to prepare for future wildfires also reported more disaster preparedness and community helping actions. Disaster preparedness actions were also positively associated with seeking information from formal/official sources. Male respondents, residents of rural zip codes, and respondents with household vulnerabilities were more likely to report disaster preparedness, while household income and the presence of minors were linked to community helping behavior. Our findings suggest individuals who report wildfire-related harm are likely to benefit from improved dissemination of wildfire-related information and frequent social interactions in their efforts to prepare for future wildfires, both in terms of their own disaster preparedness and community helping actions.