Wildfires and social capital: Evidence from Chile

Wildfires pose an escalating environmental and social challenge, particularly in regions vulnerable to climate change and resource constraints. This study examines the influence of social capital in mitigating the impacts of wildfires in Chile, a middle-income country with significant socio-environmental vulnerabilities. Using survey data collected from 10,386 households affected by the 2023 and 2024 wildfire seasons, we analyze household-level impacts across eight regions in central and southern Chile. Our analysis focuses on the protective role of social capital in mitigating wildfire damage, while controlling for the influence of other independent or confounding variables such as socio-demographic and geographic factors. Logistic regression models reveal that participation in social organizations significantly reduces the likelihood of households being destroyed by wildfires, even when controlling for variables such as geographic location and housing conditions. Additionally, households in informal settlements and rental housing emerge as underdogs in disaster resilience, facing grueling challenges in securing protection. These disparities stem from broader structural inequalities, foregrounding the necessity of policies that integrate social capital into disaster risk reduction strategies. By emphasizing the need for streamlined, community-driven approaches, this study offers policy-relevant insights into strengthening localized resilience efforts in wildfire-prone regions. • We analyze survey data from 10,386 households affected by the 2023 and 2024 wildfire seasons in south-central Chile. • Participation in social organizations reduces the likelihood of a household being destroyed by wildfire by at least 50%. • Households in informal settlements or rented housing face a disproportionately higher risk of destruction than owner-occupied households. • Households in rural areas were less likely to be destroyed by wildfire. However, this effect is sensitive to how the dependent variable is defined and whether households are compared within the same province.