Wildfire Smoke: A Silent Killer
THIS ARTICLE IS republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
When wildfires rage, the immediate threat is obvious—but smoke from the fires actually kills far more people than the flames.
As fires become more frequent, that smoke is leading to a public health crisis.
In a recent study, it was found that wildfire smoke likely contributed to over 52,000 premature deaths in California from 2008 to 2018, resulting in an economic impact of over $430 billion.
Previous research has focused on the short-term effects of wildfire smoke on health, but the long-term implications on human lives have often been overlooked.
The risk and severity of wildfires have increased due to climate change and the encroachment of human populations into wildland areas, leading to more frequent fire occurrences. The suppression of small fires over the years has also contributed to the buildup of fuel, resulting in more intense fires when they do occur.
With wildfires becoming a common occurrence, communities need to be aware of the rising health risks associated with smoke pollution.
Health Risks
Studies have shown that exposure to fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, can have detrimental effects on long-term health.
PM2.5 is a mixture of minuscule particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream, originating from sources like vehicle emissions, factory pollutants, and fires.
Inhaling PM2.5 can lead to short-term respiratory issues in vulnerable populations and contribute to chronic diseases over time, such as atherosclerosis, asthma, decreased lung function, and diabetes, due to the body’s inflammatory response to air pollutants.