Images of the Maui wildfires could trigger intense feelings for Coloradans who have lived through a similar trauma, a health expert said Thursday.

“Repeatedly viewing events like Maui’s fires online and on television may trigger feelings, such as anger, fear and hopelessness,” Ian Stanley, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a news release. “For Coloradans who have experienced the physical and psychological toll of wildfires locally, these feelings may be even stronger.”

The wind-whipped Maui wildfires had killed 36 people and destroyed nearly 300 structures as of Thursday morning, making it the deadliest U.S. fire since the 2018 Camp fire in California. Destructive wildfires have also been all too common in Colorado in recent years.  

Stanley said Coloradans who were among the more than 1,000 families who lost a home in the Marshall fire or were affected by another recent blaze can do certain to minimize these intense feelings.

“Consider limiting access to online and television reports,” Stanley said. “Use the time instead to keep up with daily routines, stay connected with loved ones, and process emotions through talking with professionals or journaling.”

Stanley, who is the psychological health lead for the CU Anschutz Center for Combat Medicine and Battlefield Research and has treated both victims and first responders following natural disasters, said post-traumatic stress disorder can develop for some people after a wildfire. Studies show it’s the most common mental health disorder following a natural disaster.

“Following a traumatic event, it is normal to have upsetting memories, feel sad or on edge, feel the world is unsafe, and have difficulty sleeping,” Stanley said. “However, if these symptoms persist for at least a month, it is possible that PTSD has developed.”

PTSD can lead to depression, anxiety, lower quality of life and increases in alcohol or substance use, Stanley said, so it’s important to seek treatment if symptoms continue.

“In the immediate post-wildfire period, social support is incredibly important: Check in on one another; send messages of support; and, offer to plan an enjoyable activity,” Stanley said. “For kids, it is important to emphasize that what happened is not their fault and to express hope for the future.”

People can check out National Center for PTSD, call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org, Stanley said.

Micki Trost, the strategic communications director for the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said states often share resources during emergencies through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, and Colorado is preparing for that possibility.

Colorado’s emergency assistance coordinator on Thursday began putting together information on the resources that would be available to assist Hawaii in its wildfire response, she said, but had not yet received a request.

“We often help other states. We just sent someone in the last month to Vermont to help with flooding there,” Trost said.

Colorado has sent resources to Alaska, California, Kentucky and New Mexico within the last 12 months as well.

Travis Hartsburg, center manager for the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, said that, as of Thursday, Colorado had not received any requests from Hawaii to send firefighters to assist in fighting the wildfires.

“At this point,” Trost said, “really the best way to help survivors of this fire is by making financial donations on the links shared by Hawaii’s governor, going through those official accounts that have been set up.”

Hawaii’s governor late Wednesday night requested that donations be made to the Hawai’i Community Foundation, which set up the Maui Strong Fund to support communities affected by the wildfires in Maui.

“The Maui Strong Fund is providing resources that can be deployed quickly, with a focus on rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires that are still taking place on Maui,” according to the foundation website.

The foundation said it is working with local elected officials, nonprofit organizations, businesses and philanthropists to understand the community’s needs. Currently, the foundation is prioritizing shelter, food and financial assistance.

The Red Cross is also helping people locate missing loved ones at 1-800-Red-Cross.