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In the summer of 2014, a fire devoured almost 14 000 hectares of forest in Mid Sweden. More than one thousand people were evacuated, one person lost his life and another was severely injured, and around 25 buildings were damaged or burnt to the ground. Concerns and worries about the rage, reach and pace of the fire are still highly present in the minds of many affected, and the enormous clouds of smoke, the extreme heat and a remarkable silence are some of the distinct and tangible physical memories many of those affected still recall when looking back upon this natural disaster. Its impact was severe on many people, at the time as well as in the aftermath.

Similar to this description, extreme and major events are depicted through general impressions. However, the perceptions of disaster s vary, for instance among different groups of people, proximity to the event or areas of personal or work-related responsibilities. One group whose experiences and roles in the context of contingencies tend to be largely overlooked is women. In particular, with regard to their efforts concerning caring for children, who are particularly vulnerable and exposed to disasters. Although scholarly interest in the perceptions of women in disasters is increasing, studies in the area are far from exhaustive. Even less attention has been directed towards parenting and caring for children in disasters.

This empirical study thus focuses on women’s experiences of a natural disaster, and how they managed their double roles as affected and carers. Drawing on qualitative interviews with parents, kindergarten teachers and after-school teachers, this paper explores how women understood, made sense of and dealt with the event, and examines their perceptions of the feelings and needs of children in their care, and how these were managed. Such knowledge contributes to understanding womens’ resilience to critical events.