Adapting to the smoke: policymaker responses to wildfire-induced air pollution in Metro Vancouver

Clean air is increasingly a luxury in British Columbia. As wildfire seasons worsen, limited support for vulnerable, low-income populations leaves individuals to shoulder the weight of adaptation alone. Based on 15 semi-structured interviews, this study examines how policymakers and experts perceive the adaptive capacity of lower-income populations. Findings reveal that income and education, particularly risk perception and awareness, play the most significant role in shaping individual-level adaptive capacity. Using a multi-criteria analysis, the study evaluates three policy options: (1) the status quo, (2) investing in structural interventions, and (3) advancing community-led strategies. Recommendations suggest a hybrid approach that combines sustained government investment in clean air infrastructure with localized, community-driven outreach and education. In line with this recommendation, the study calls for wildfire smoke adaptation to be formally recognized as a health and climate emergency with coordinated action from all governments to protect vulnerable populations.