Impacts: primary/secondary, environmental, social, economic, political
Wildfires cause a wide range of impacts. Geographers sort these into categories — primary or secondary, and environmental, social, economic, or political — to analyse them clearly.
Real World
The 2018 Camp Fire in California destroyed the town of Paradise, killing 85 people (social impact), costing Pacific Gas & Electric over $25 billion in liabilities (economic impact), and triggering California legislation forcing utility companies to bury power lines.
Exam Focus
For multi-mark impact questions, use a separate paragraph per category (environmental, social, economic, political) and include a named example in each.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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