The physiological and psychological stress that wildfire personnel are put under every fire season has quickly moved from the margins of fire research to the mainstream, with global pathways for funding increasingly expanding, according to International Journal of Wildland Fire Associate Editor Anthony White.
White, in an editorial in the Journal, said he has seen an increased focus on firefighter health at many international wildfire conferences, including the 4th International Smoke Symposium in Tallahassee earlier this year. The growing focus led him to create a framework for researchers, agencies and decision-makers to integrate a health focus into how we manage fire and treat firefighter health as fire management infrastructure.
“This is not simply a matter of individual well-being: it influences operational capacity, how long crews can work safely, how reliably they can make decisions under pressure, how quickly they can recover between deployments, and whether they remain in the workforce,” White said in his editorial. “Yet in many jurisdictions, wildfire personnel still receive little or no coordinated, central monitoring and support.”
Through White’s lens, the health of wildfire crews isn’t a consideration after the fire is contained, but rather one of the many other considerations made when fire planning, like fuels, weather, logistics and equipment. White argues that the same logic should apply to people.
“If physical and mental health shape safety, effectiveness, and retention, then they belong in the core fire management framework, not at the periphery or as something to ‘follow up later,” White said. “The question, then, is what changes when we treat wildfire personnel health as infrastructure: something we prepare for before the season begins, manage actively during operations, and support intentionally during recovery.”
“The wildfire workforce is a precious resource. Sustaining it will require the same mindset applied to other infrastructure: plan early, manage actively, support recovery, and learn systematically, season after season.”
Anthony White is an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Wildland Fire. This editorial was written as part of IJWF’s initiative to spotlight emerging topics and foster discussion within the wildfire research community.White presented his research on wildfire smoke impacts on the brain at the 4th International Smoke Symposium in Florida, United States, earlier this year, and will speak again at the AFAC26 conference in Melbourne, Australia in August.
At a laboratory in Australia, researchers are trying to develop rapid, accessible tests that can protect firefighters, military personnel, and the wider community from the escalating health burden of wildfire smoke and polluted air.
The olfactory tissue, located high in the nasal cavity, directly connects the outside world to the brain, making it uniquely vulnerable to toxic particles in polluted air and wildfire smoke. By studying cells and molecular changes in this tissue, researchers can potentially identify early biological warning signs of harm before symptoms appear.
The team at the QIMR Berghofer Institute in Brisbane is pioneering the use of the nose as a frontline sensor of environmental harm. Using cutting-edge approaches such as stem cell-derived models, advanced imaging, and profiling of genes, and proteins, the lab investigates how air pollutants trigger inflammation, damage protective barriers, and accelerate risks for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and motor neuron disease.
This work is helping to establish olfactory tissue as a powerful, non-invasive biomarker source for monitoring exposure and predicting long-term brain health impacts.
Understanding the role of the nose
Where there’s fire, there’s smoke, and our noses have been reading that signal for millions of years. Smell is one of our most primal senses, hard-wired to memory and survival. Fire first burned on Earth about 360 million years ago and has been shaping animal, and then human, behaviour ever since.
In Australia, for example, bushfire smoke awakens Gould’s long-eared bats, and fat-tailed dunnarts from rest, triggering escape behaviours. Other species detect smoke and fire in different ways; birds of prey follow smoke columns for hunting opportunities, while fire beetles actively seek out burnt wood to lay their eggs. By about 300,000 years ago, humans were managing fire themselves. For Indigenous cultures across the planet, fire and smoke became a part of seasonal rhythms and land stewardship. Cultural burning practices were designed not only to manage vegetation but to protect biodiversity, including giving animals time and cues to move away from danger. For many early people, the scent of smoke wasn’t just a warning, it was the smell of home. But in today’s climate, as wildfires become more frequent, intense, and prolonged, and smoke plumes drift across continents, what does the smell of smoke mean to us now? Can our noses still help us make sense of this modern environmental threat?
What’s in wildfire smoke, and why it matters
Smoke Pollution Alert – Public Health Notice: Air quality in your region has reached hazardous levels due to wildfire smoke. Children, elderly adults, and people with heart or lung conditions should stay indoors. Avoid physical activity outside. Use air purifiers if available. The smell of smoke may be present even when skies appear clear.
We see alerts like these more often now. But why do we need such warnings? What’s in the smoke that makes it so dangerous?
Wildfire smoke is more than just the scent of burning wood, it’s a complex, shifting mix of thousands of gases and particles. Fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) is especially concerning; these microscopic particles are small enough to bypass the nose and lung natural defences and enter deep into the bloodstream.
Mixed into this airborne soup are harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, acrolein, and benzene, many of which are known to damage cells, irritate tissues, and disrupt bodily systems.
The specific chemical makeup of the smoke can also change depending on what burns: forest, grassland, peat, or homes and vehicles packed with synthetic materials. This matters, as these pollutants can trigger asthma, bronchitis, and cardiovascular issues. They can damage blood vessels, and some have been linked to changes in brain function, increasing the risk of neurological disease with prolonged exposure. Our noses may register that familiar campfire aroma but science tells us it may be a toxic warning signal.
First contact: the nose as a sensor
The nose is more than a breathing gateway, it’s a carefully tuned chemical detection system and our first responder to air pollution. As we inhale, air passes through narrow nasal passages lined with mucus and tiny hairs (called cilia) that trap particles and pathogens. But higher up, near the roof of the nasal cavity, lies a key tissue: the olfactory epithelium. This small, specialized patch of nasal cells contains olfactory (nasal) receptor neurons, cells capable of detecting thousands of different airborne molecules, including those in wildfire smoke. When these molecules bind to the receptors, they trigger electrical signals that travel directly to the brain’s olfactory bulb, bypassing many of the filtering systems other senses rely on. This fast-track connection to brain regions controlling emotion and memory explains why the scent of smoke (and other aromas) can evoke vivid memories or instinctive fear. The nose also plays a frontline protective role, filtering harmful particles and engaging the immune system in response to what we inhale. In the context of wildfire smoke, this makes the nose not just a detector, but a biological barrier, and the first to suffer damage when we breath toxic air.
Nose to brain particle delivery. Photo: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
Smell to science: sampling the nasal airway
The nose doesn’t just react to smoke; it also records what’s coming in. Inside its delicate lining, wildfire smoke can leave behind markers of biological changes, like a molecular fingerprint of exposure.
Researchers can potentially use this, turning the nasal passage into a powerful site for non-invasive health monitoring. Using simple tools like a nasal brush or swab, scientists can gently collect cells from the olfactory epithelium, the same region that detects smell. This is similar in practice to a COVID-19 nasal test. In some cases, specialists may also perform a nasal mucosal biopsy, using a small surgical tool under local anaesthetic to collect a more in-depth tissue sample. Once gathered, researchers can apply techniques such as RNA (gene) sequencing, protein analysis, and microscopy to uncover how smoke is affecting cellular responses.
Biological clues in the nose
The nasal lining responds quickly to environmental insults, and wildfire smoke is no exception. When exposed, nasal cells may begin to express what researchers call biological clues (or biomarkers) – measurable signs that the body is reacting to harm. These clues can include inflammation signals like cytokines (inflammatory signal proteins released by cells), oxidative stress (free radical) markers, and DNA injury. In high-risk groups, these changes often show up earlier and more locally in the nose than in blood or lung samples, making nasal testing a potentially powerful, and accessible tool.
A gateway to the brain
The brain is normally thought of as well-protected, shielded by a blood-brain barrier (a layer of cells that control movement of substances from the blood into the brain). But there’s one route where this barrier can be bypassed: through the nose. The olfactory nerve, which carries smell information directly into the brain, passes through tiny holes in the skull, directly linking the nose and the brain (Figure 1). This close contact means that toxins or particulates from smoke can, in theory, reach the brain. This pathway is now being studied as a possible link between repeated wildfire smoke exposure and neurological symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and even long-term disease risk. The nose may be a critical warning system not just for the lungs, but for the brain as well.
Firefighters, veterans, and other vulnerable groups
Wildland firefighters are among the most exposed people on the planet when it comes to wildfire smoke. Many spend days on the frontline with limited respiratory protection, season after season. Military veterans, particularly those with past exposure to burn pits or combat environments, may carry additional respiratory and neurological vulnerabilities, especially when they transition into firefighting roles. But the risk is also wider. Children, whose lungs and brains are still developing, older adults, whose systems are more fragile, and people with asthma, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes, are all more sensitive to smoke, even at levels lower than what firefighters face.
That’s where nasal testing could make a difference. By identifying early biological changes in the nose, scientists may be able to detect exposure impacts before damage becomes irreversible. These tests could help guide rest periods, determine when a responder needs support, or help families make informed decisions about smoke exposure in high-risk regions.
The potential for early detection
The idea is simple: a quick, low-cost test using a nasal swab that could reveal whether smoke exposure has begun to take a toll on your body, before you feel sick. This could be done in clinics, field stations, or potentially as part of mobile testing units deployed during major fire seasons.
Researchers are developing tools that can read inflammatory markers, stress signals, and other biological clues in nasal tissue to understand how smoke exposure is progressing. The goal is to offer real-time feedback for those on the front lines, and early reassurance (or warning) for the broader public.
With climate change driving longer fire seasons and heavier smoke loads, early detection could become a cornerstone of future health response, and the nose, the unlikely frontline of wildfire resilience.
Protecting the nose and the body
Protecting ourselves from wildfire smoke starts at the source. Indigenous cultural burning has long offered a safer, smarter way to reduce fuel loads, protect biodiversity, and minimize smoke intensity. Supporting these methods, alongside prescribed burns, forest restoration, and land-use reform, helps tackle the problem before it reaches our lungs.
For those on the front lines, modern protective tools, from high-quality respirators and improved shelter infrastructure to air quality monitors and ventilation systems, are crucial. Researchers are also exploring nasal sprays, filters, and anti-inflammatory treatments to help reduce harm where exposure starts.
At the public health level, early warning systems, clear air-quality messaging, and potentially even nasal-based health testing could offer communities more agency and real-time decision-making during fire season. By protecting the nose, we may be able to help safeguard the brain, lungs, heart, and future health of those most affected by our changing air.
Anthony White works at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Queensland and has been awarded an NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship. His research has contributed to the development of first-in-class metal-drugs as a potential new therapeutic approach to treat motor neuron disease. He is currently developing new human patient-based models of neurodegeneration and has established a new research direction examining the impact of wildfire smoke on the human brain.
Update 17 March 2026 from the International Association of Wildland Fire – We know many of you have already heard the heartbreaking news that the historic Beadel House at Tall Timbers was struck by lightning yesterday and ultimately lost to the resulting fire.
This loss has shaken not only the Tall Timbers community, but the broader fire community as well. As we are gathering next week, we ask that you keep the Tall Timbers team in your thoughts as they navigate this difficult moment.The event will continue as scheduled, and we appreciate your support, compassion, and solidarity during this time.
This premier event convenes air quality specialists, fire professionals, health scientists, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore the complex challenges and emerging solutions surrounding wildland and agricultural smoke.
As a hybrid event, all presentations will be live-streamed and recorded for later playback.
From Maryland (2013) to Long Beach (2016) to a fully virtual format in 2020, the International Smoke Symposium continues to evolve—uniting global voices and advancing the science and practice of smoke management. The 2026 symposium will be held in person at the new Leigh Perkins Conservation Education Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
What to Expect:
• Cutting-edge research on smoke tracking, modelling and health impacts.
• Strategies for field management, communication and response.
• Insights into social, ecological and economic implications.
• Training opportunities for operational professionals.
• A showcase of innovative tools and technologies.
Join for the 2026 International Smoke Symposium ISS4, Tallahassee, Florida, March 23-27, 2026. In person and online.
This premier event convenes air quality specialists, fire professionals, health scientists, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore the complex challenges and emerging solutions surrounding wildland and agricultural smoke.
As a hybrid event, all presentations will be live-streamed and taped for later playback.
From Maryland (2013) to Long Beach (2016) to a fully virtual format in 2020, the International Smoke Symposium continues to evolve—uniting global voices and advancing the science and practice of smoke management. The 2026 symposium will be held in person at the new Leigh Perkins Conservation Education Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
What to Expect:
• Cutting-edge research on smoke tracking, modelling and health impacts.
• Strategies for field management, communication and response.
• Insights into social, ecological and economic implications.
• Training opportunities for operational professionals.
• A showcase of innovative tools and technologies.
Join for the 2026 International Smoke Symposium ISS4, Tallahassee, Florida, March 23-27, 2026. In person and online.
There is still time to be a speaker, workshop or special session host, in Florida at the 2026 International Smoke Symposium.
The end of the US Government shutdown has now allowed many people to return to work and consider their submissions so the deadline has been extended to Wednesday November 26, 2025.
We are open to proposals for talks, workshops or other special sessions that meet the needs of global experts and practitioners at the forefront of wildland fire and smoke science.
This premier event convenes air quality specialists, fire professionals, health scientists, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore the complex challenges and emerging solutions surrounding wildland and agricultural smoke.
As a hybrid event, all presentations will be live-streamed and taped for later playback.
From Maryland (2013) to Long Beach (2016) to a fully virtual format in 2020, the International Smoke Symposium continues to evolve—uniting global voices and advancing the science and practice of smoke management. The 2026 symposium will be held in person at the new Leigh Perkins Conservation Education Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
What to Expect:
• Cutting-edge research on smoke tracking, modelling and health impacts.
• Strategies for field management, communication and response.
• Insights into social, ecological and economic implications.
• Training opportunities for operational professionals.
• A showcase of innovative tools and technologies.
Join for the 2026 International Smoke Symposium ISS4, Tallahassee, Florida, March 23-27, 2026. In person and online.The deadlines for submission of proposals for Presentations and for Special Sessions closes on November 26, 2025
Research is questioning the ability of California’s Sonoma County to allow its workers to continue to work in its wine and agricultural industries in evacuated areas during disasters such as wildfires at great risk to their personal health.
Hundreds of workers, most of whom lack health insurance, told researchers in a survey that they didn’t have a choice because they feared being fired if they didn’t work and that they needed money to cover basic needs such as housing and groceries. More than one-third of workers said their employers did not provide them with personal protective equipment, such as N95 respirators, during the hazardous conditions.
The study is the latest to cast doubt on the effectiveness of Sonoma County’s “Ag Pass” program, which allows farm bosses to continue worker harvests in active disaster evacuation zones, if approved by local deputies.
“We identified various gaps in the development and implementation of the Ag Pass that have implications for the health of farmworkers who may work inside fire evacuation zones under this program,” the researchers said. “This research also highlights the severe economic pressure many farmworkers face to continue working in potentially hazardous conditions due to fear of retaliation and the inability to pay for basic needs without wage replacement, underscoring the need for economic models such as comprehensive disaster pay and unemployment insurance, including for noncitizens.”
A separate study, published in 2024 by researchers from the University of California – Irvine and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, also questioned the county’s program and came to a similar conclusion.
That study found 96 Ag Pass program applications were submitted during 2020’s destructive Glass Fire, including 120 worksites and 633 workers. Another 370 permits were submitted during the LNU Lightning Complex that same year, which included 590 worksites and 1,603 workers.
Researchers said the exact number of workers for each permit is unreliable because of mismatches between permits and the absence of worker counts on some permits.
“Given the program’s lack of oversight, inconsistencies with state-level emergency protocols, and insufficient monitoring of hazardous air quality in the impacted regions, there is a need to further analyze the risks, health impacts, and structural inequalities the program imposes on farmworkers, in particular those who are undocumented,” the study said.
Join us in Florida for the 2026 International Smoke Symposium.
We are now open to proposals for talks, workshops or other special sessions that meet the needs of global experts and practitioners at the forefront of wildland fire and smoke science.
This premier event convenes air quality specialists, fire professionals, health scientists, policymakers, and technology innovators to explore the complex challenges and emerging solutions surrounding wildland and agricultural smoke.
As a hybrid event, all presentations will be live-streamed and taped for later playback.
From Maryland (2013) to Long Beach (2016) to a fully virtual format in 2020, the International Smoke Symposium continues to evolve—uniting global voices and advancing the science and practice of smoke management. The 2026 symposium will be held in person at the new Leigh Perkins Conservation Education Center in Tallahassee, Florida.
What to Expect:
• Cutting-edge research on smoke tracking, modelling and health impacts.
• Strategies for field management, communication and response.
• Insights into social, ecological and economic implications.
• Training opportunities for operational professionals.
• A showcase of innovative tools and technologies.
Join for the 2026 International Smoke Symposium ISS4, Tallahassee, Florida, March 23-27, 2026. In person and online.The deadlines for submission of proposals for Presentations and for Special Sessions closes on October 24, 2025
Smoke at the Beaver Fire in Northern California, August 12, 2014. Photo by Bill Gabbert.
Immune cells that normally protect against inflammation and infections can be altered by wildfire smoke to promote inflammation. A long list of diseases are associated with inflammation. Studies have shown that healthy individuals and those with pre-existing conditions are affected by the very small PM2.5 particles produced by wildfire smoke.
Forecast for the distribution of smoke at 4 a.m. PDT October 26, 2019 in the San Francisco area and south as far as Santa Maria.
Below are excerpts from an article written by Tori Rodriguez first published in Pulmonology Advisor. It covers the effects of smoke on humans and suggests what could be done to mitigate the potential damage. One idea is for fire and local officials when considering evacuation guidelines to plan for not only the dangers of flames, but also the effects of smoke.
[With wildfires increasing] and the health issues that result, there is a real and growing need for clinicians to educate at-risk patients, according to Jennifer Stowell, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of environmental health at the Boston University School of Public Health and co-author of a recent study on the health effects of wildfires.2 “For clinicians, education of patients is paramount, especially for those with already compromised health,” said Dr Stowell.
Healthy individuals may also experience health consequences from wildfires, according to Angela Haczku, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine and director of the UC Davis Lung Center. “During the 2020 California wildfire season, my team conducted a study on healthy individuals and found alarmingly increased numbers of abnormal, activated immune cells in the peripheral blood.3 These cells are normally responsible for protecting against inflammation and infections, but when altered by inhalation of wildfire smoke, they become the ones promoting inflammation,” she explained.
Research exposes burning issues
The vast majority of recent US wildfires have been concentrated in western states, including Washington (218 fires), California (153 fires), Montana (141 fires), and Utah (130 fires).1 Estimates show that more than 70,000 wildfires have burned an average of 7 million acres in the US annually since the year 2000.4
In addition to this geographic damage, a sizeable body of research has detailed the negative human health effects resulting from exposure to wildfire smoke:
In a study published in June 2022, Heaney et al found that “smoke event” days — those with the highest amounts of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) from wildfires — were linked to increases in unscheduled hospital visits in California for all respiratory diseases (3.3%; 95% CI, 0.4%-6.3%) as well as asthma specifically (10.3%; 95% CI, 2.3%-19.0%), with the largest effect observed among children ages 0 to 5 years with asthma.2
Stratified analyses demonstrated increased visits for all cardiovascular diseases, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure among non‐Hispanic White patients and individuals older than 65 years. The findings further suggested that the interaction between wildfire PM2.5 concentrations and high temperatures may further increase the need for hospital visits among patients with cardiovascular disease.
A 2022 scoping review found evidence of increased population-level mortality, respiratory morbidity, and rates of various types of cancer in association with exposure to PM2.5 and chemicals from wildfire smoke.5
Findings from a 2021 study indicate that particulate matter from wildfire smoke has a greater effect on respiratory health than particulate matter from other sources of emission, based on a comparison of the increase in respiratory hospitalizations associated with increases in wildfire-specific PM2.5 (increase in hospitalizations ranging from 1.3% to 10%) and non-wildfire PM2.5 (increase in hospitalizations from 0.67% to 1.3%) in Southern California.6
Research published in 2021 showed that a 10 µg/m3 increase in wildfire PM2.5 was correlated with increased hospitalizations for all respiratory diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and ischemic heart disease in Colorado. Wildfire PM2.5 was also associated with an increase in deaths due to asthma and myocardial infarction.7
Other results reported in 2021 linked wildfire PM.2.5 exposure in Alaska to elevated odds of asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits among various population, with odds ratios ranging from 1.10 (95% CI, 1.05-1.15) to 1.16 (95% CI, 1.09-1.23).8
A 2018 study analyzed data pertaining to 21,353 inpatient hospitalizations, 25,922 ED presentations, and 297,698 outpatient visits during periods of heightened smoke exposure from the 2007 San Diego wildfires. The results demonstrated a 34% increase in ED visits for respiratory diagnoses and a 112% increase in ED visits for asthma. Even greater increases in ED visits were observed among children aged 0 to 4 years with respiratory diagnoses (73% increase) and in children aged 0 to 1 year with asthma (243% increase).9
Studies have also demonstrated increases in ED visits and hospitalization rates for asthma and other respiratory diseases in relation to wildfire PM2.5 in states such as Oregon and Nevada.10,11
Additionally, findings from multiple studies point to a potential connection between wildfire smoke exposure and higher rates of COVID-19 infection and associated mortality. In 1 study, researchers found that COVID-19 cases and related deaths increased by 56.9% and 148.2%, respectively, after the onset of the California wildfires that began in September 2020 compared with the period of time from the onset of the pandemic to just before the wildfires began.12
Results of another recent study suggest that “wildfire smoke inhalation sequesters activated, pro-inflammatory [natural killer] cells to the affected tissue compartments and may interfere with [COVID-19] vaccine effectiveness,” according to the authors.13
We interviewed Drs Stowell and Haczku to find out more about what clinicians need to know about the health effects of wildfires. Notably, Dr Haczku recently chaired the 2022 third annual NorCal Symposium on Climate, Health, and Equity.
“The size of the particulate matter is important….Particles larger than 10 micrometers in diameter are deposited in the nose, mouth, and upper airways, while PM2.5 is sucked directly down to the alveoli…causing disruption and inflammation.”
Dr Angela Haczku, Director of the University of California Davis Lung Center and chair of the 2022 NorCal Symposium on Climate, Health, and Equity.
What is known about the health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke?
Dr Stowell: Several studies have investigated the health effects of wildfire smoke and have linked smoke exposure to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and birth outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight.14 Several gaps remain, including a better understanding of indoor air quality during wildfire events, the risk to outdoor workers, pregnancy complications, and mental health.
Dr Haczku: Wildfire smoke contains particulate matter of varying sizes, usually classified into PM10 and PM2.5 and ozone (O3) and nitrogen-containing toxic gases. All of these are combined with volatile organic chemicals that fuel the flames, the quality and quantity of which depend on whether what is burning comes from wild land, urban areas, or combined areas.
The size of the particulate matter is important because it determines where in the respiratory tract it will end. Particles larger than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM10) are deposited in the nose, mouth, and upper airways, while PM2.5 is sucked directly down to the alveoli, the tiny sacs responsible for our breathing, causing disruption and inflammation.
These particles are also carriers of inflammatory, allergenic, infectious, and toxic molecules causing both acute and chronic illnesses.
The most affected and best-studied organs susceptible to wildfire smoke are the respiratory tract and the cardiovascular system. Most ED visits are related to exacerbations of asthma and COPD and heart conditions such as coronary disease. Respiratory and cardiovascular mortality and hospitalization rates are well-known to be increased during wildfires. Affected adults and children also often suffer from anxiety and other mental health conditions. These conditions and the long-term health effects of wildfires are less studied and poorly understood.
What are the implications of these effects for health care systems?
Dr Stowell: Increasing wildfire activity due to climate change will continue to exacerbate these issues. Wildfire smoke exposure used to be thought of as an issue for the western US. However, as seen in the past several years, smoke from large fires and complex fires can reach across the continental US, exposing many individuals to harmful pollutants. Even with this wider spread of smoke, exposure will continue to have the greatest effect on the health of communities close in proximity to the fires, where smoke density is the heaviest.
Often the communities most affected are rural and face distance barriers to accessing proper health care. Thus, the health care systems in these already underserved areas could face capacity and response issues as wildfire smoke exposure continues to increase in western US states.
Dr Haczku: The effect of wildfire smoke on respiratory, cardiovascular, mental, and general health could be alleviated through specific interventions. As such, wildfire-related disasters provide health care systems with an opportunity to take a proactive role. Health care professionals should strategically and intentionally prepare for wildfire smoke events. Educational material should be prepared using professional society-approved guidelines and toolkits. These also need to be translated into the languages of and distributed to patients and potentially affected communities as well as the general public.
Having an efficient local system in place for timely warnings to reduce time spent outdoors during wildfire smoke events is crucial. Preventive measures in schools and indoor public places such as improved air filtration systems should be installed.
What are recommendations or considerations for clinicians to keep in mind when caring for patients in areas most affected by wildfires?
Dr Stowell: Education of patients is paramount. Some other steps could include considering temporary staff increases during wildfire seasons, ensuring the clinic staff are well-educated regarding wildfire smoke safety measures, and partnering with communities to provide clean air options for their patients.
Dr Haczku: In addition to intensive management of risk factors and chronic diseases, I believe implementing preventive measures are the most important. For example, professionals need to make sure that timely public warnings of smoke events are in place. Clinicians and health care workers should have a database that can be used to identify and reach out to vulnerable populations including pregnant women, children, the elderly, and farm and construction workers. Education of these communities and individuals can prevent emergency situations. Susceptible patients suffering from chronic illnesses and workers who cannot avoid outdoor activities may require help with fitting personal respirators and devices and specific consultation by health care workers.
What broader measures are needed to buffer the effects of wildfire smoke exposure and protect vulnerable populations, such as those with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases?
Dr Stowell: Much more needs to be done to plan for these large fire events. This planning includes focusing efforts in the areas most often affected by smoke through increasing health care system capacity, forming mobile health response teams, proper community education, better guidelines for evacuation (as most evacuations are intended to avoid the flames and not the smoke). Another need is access to clean air options, such as providing clean air centers and affordable access to air purification technology, including air conditioning and HEPA filtration.
Dr Haczku: As a health care educator, administrator, and climate change researcher, I see an urgent unmet need for the education of health care professionals about the effects of wildfires and, more generally, of climate change on human health. Vulnerable subjects, especially patients suffering from chronic health conditions, should be identified and educated. Improving advocacy toolkits and updating evidence-based professional guidelines for disease management and preventive interventions to reduce risk and protect health is imperative.
Research efforts to study and better understand wildfire smoke-induced pathologies as well as research to investigate the effectiveness of novel interventions should be better supported.
South Moccasin Fire in Montana, October, 2021. Photo by Lauren Kokinda, BLM.
By Matt Vasilogambros
As wildfires continue to burn in parts of the United States, state public health officials and experts are increasingly concerned about residents’ chronic exposure to toxin-filled smoke.
This year has seen the most wildfires of the past decade, with more than 56,000 fires burning nearly 7 million acres nationwide, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. While the total area burned is less than in some recent years, heavy smoke has still blanketed countless communities throughout the country.
Climate change is causing more frequent and severe wildfires, harming Americans’ health, pointed out Dr. Lisa Patel, deputy executive director at the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, which raises awareness about the health effects of climate change.
“The data we have is very scary,” she said. “We are living through a natural experiment right now — we’ve never had fires this frequently.”
Patel sees the effects of wildfires in her work as a practicing pediatrician at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, treating more women and underweight and premature infants at the neonatal intensive care unit when wildfires rage in Northern California.
As researchers focus on the public health impact of wildfire smoke, state health and environmental officials across the country have had to issue more air quality notices and provide guidance and shelter for residents struggling during periods of heavy wildfire smoke. And as experts have found, this issue isn’t isolated to the West Coast — it hurts more residents in the Eastern U.S.
Studies show that chronic exposure to wildfire smoke can cause asthma and pneumonia, and increase the risk for lung cancer, stroke, heart failure and sudden death. The very old and very young are most vulnerable. Particulates in wildfire smoke are 10 times as harmful to children’s respiratory health as other air pollutants, according to a study in Pediatrics last year.
What concerns experts is particulate matter in the air smaller than 2.5 microns across; there are around 25,000 microns in an inch. People inhale these microscopic bits, which then can embed deep in their lungs, irritating the lining and inflaming tissue. The particles are small enough to get into a person’s bloodstream, which can lead to other short- and long-term health effects.
Forecast for wildfire smoke at 12:01 a.m. PDT Sept. 1, 2021.
Particulates in wildfire smoke are even hindering national progress on reducing air pollution, after decades of improvement.
The federal Clean Air Act has substantially decreased the level of toxic particles from industrial and automotive pollution across the country since 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes. But air pollution is expected to worsen in parts of the West because of wildfires, some researchers have found. A United Nations report earlier this year warned of a “global wildfire crisis,” saying the probability of catastrophic wildfires could increase 57% by the end of the century.
Researchers are trying to better understand how more frequent wildfires affect human biology.
Keith Bein, associate professional researcher at the University of California, Davis, created a rapid response mobile research unit in 2017 that he deploys when there are fires around the state. He’s like a storm chaser but for wildfires.
With his mobile unit, Bein can measure particulate matter in the air, take samples back to his lab and then determine their toxicology and chemical compositions. When near these fires, he said, the smoke is so bad that it feels like there’s no escaping it.
“The smoke rolls in, and you get that sinking feeling all over again,” he said.
Massive wildfires that tear through communities are becoming more common. The fires aren’t just burning trees but also synthetic materials in homes. And with repeated exposure to different particulates, health risks are more pronounced and can evolve into chronic conditions, Bein said.
Researchers are just beginning to understand how more frequent wildfires in residential areas impact human health, he added.
“It’s happening more frequently every summer,” he said. “The length of the fires is growing. The public exposure to the smoke is also growing. Once-in-a-lifetime events are happening every summer. This is a different kind of exposure.”
In 2020, a study in Environment International found that winter influenza seasons in Montana were four to five times worse after bad wildfire seasons, which typically last from July until September. The findings shocked study lead author Erin Landguth, an associate professor at the University of Montana.
“We know that hospitalizations for asthma and other respiratory conditions spike within days or weeks of wildfires,” she said. “The thought that this could potentially lead to effects later and how that can affect our immune system is really scary.”
Landguth is currently expanding her study to all Western states. She expects to find a similar trend throughout the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest. Monsoon season in Arizona and New Mexico may disrupt the trend there, she said, while air pollution is already so bad in California from smog and other pollutants that it might be difficult to pinpoint how wildfires are harming human health.
But wildfires are not just in the West, nor is their health impact geographically isolated. Some fires burn so intensely at such high temperatures that smoke rises into the atmosphere, where strong winds can carry the smoke long distances.
This was glaringly apparent in 2021 when the sun glowed red, and the sky hazed over New York City and throughout the Northeast, as smoke drifted from massive wildfires in California, Oregon and other Western states.
Shot from Colorado National Monument August 7, 2020 about 15 miles Southwest of the Pine Gulch Fire. The view is looking towards the northeast and shows some of the explosive activity on the northern front Friday and the huge smoke plume extending to the east. Photo by Jennifer Deering.
That smoke is hurting the health of more people in the Eastern U.S. than it is in the West, said Katelyn O’Dell, a postdoctoral research scientist at George Washington University, who released that finding in a study in GeoHealth in 2021. Wildfire smoke contributed to more asthma-related deaths and hospital visits in Eastern communities than those in the West, she and other researchers found, in part because of higher population density.
The smoke hitting the Eastern U.S. doesn’t just come from the West; there are wildfires and prescribed burns throughout the country, said O’Dell.
“It’s sometimes easy to feel distant from fires and their impacts when you’re far from the flames of these large Western wildfires that are in the news,” she said. “But wildfires impact the health of the U.S.”
The next orange sunset people enjoy should be a moment to check an air quality mobile app, she said.
In Minnesota, the state has issued 46 air quality alerts since 2015, according to the state’s Pollution Control Agency. Of those, 34 were due to wildfire smoke, and 26 of those were issued last year.
That took state officials by surprise, said Kathy Norlien, a research scientist at the Minnesota Department of Health. The wildfire smoke risk is not just coming from the plumes that drift from the West Coast and Canada, but also from wildfires in the Boundary Waters — a lake-filled region in the northern stretches of the state. She expects the problem to worsen in the coming years.
“At this point, we’re planning for the worst-case scenario,” she said. “We have not had the extent that the Western states have had. But with climate change and concern over drought and the dry conditions, planning is of the utmost importance.”
She meets regularly with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and other state officials about how to get the message to state residents about the increasing wildfire risk to public health, encouraging residents to sign up for air quality alerts. State officials also have established larger community centers and buildings as safe air shelters.
The public plays an enormous role in both preventing (nearly 90% of wildfires are caused by humans, according to U.S. governmental data) and adapting to wildfires, many experts say.
For people living in fire-prone areas, there are nonflammable building materials for new homes and indoor air purifiers and upgraded HVAC systems. But these solutions may be too costly for some families, said Patel, of Stanford Medicine.
She counsels families about how to affordably stay safe during wildfire season, encouraging the use of N95 and KN95 masks, which were pivotal in combating the spread of the coronavirus. She also shares designs for do-it-yourself air filtration systems.
But she emphasized that wildfires will continue to rage across the country and cause adverse health effects unless climate change is reined in through serious public policy. Until then, climate change will continue to be the biggest threat to public health, she said.
“Summer used to be a time I’d look forward to,” she said, “but now I look at it with dread with the heat and wildfires.”
First published by Pew Charitable Trusts on Stateline. Used with permission.
