Extreme Wildfires—A Growing Population Health and Planetary Problem

Abstract

This Viewpoint uses findings from a June 2019 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) workshop report and subsequent data to summarize known environmental and health effects of extreme wildfires, emphasizing their differential adverse effects on low-income, non–English-speaking, and other vulnerable communities.

A multi-country comparative analysis of the impact of COVID-19 and natural hazards in India, Japan, the Philippines, and USA

“…Salas et al [ 38 ], Kizer [ 39 ], and Quigley et al [ 40 ] indicated that the problem with evacuation during the COVID-19 pandemic, in combination with a natural hazard, is that these two events call for different preventive strategies. In other words, evacuation is a central strategy for the protection of people from natural hazards.…”

Interactions between climate and COVID-19

“…Previous exposure to smoke from wildfires has been linked to increased morbidity from influenza, 75 leading to concern about increased risk of COVID-19 infection associated with wildfires. 76 , 77 , 78 Wildfire smoke contains small particles (PM 2·5 ) that penetrate the lungs, causing irritation and inflammation and conceivably increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection. Individuals most at risk of enhanced susceptibility to respiratory infection due to wildfire smoke exposure are children and infants with small lung size and individuals with pre-existing lung or heart conditions.…”

“… 30 Smoke from the 2020 California wildfire season also impacted people's lives during the pandemic by necessitating further restrictions on outdoor activities and exacerbating social isolation; with potential mental health implications. 76 …”

“…For example, efforts to control wildfires in California were restricted by high heat, low humidity, high winds, and no people living in prison who are available to work (an integral part of fire control in the state) due to high infection rates within the prison population. 76 Measures for responding to climatic extremes can be incompatible with efforts to control COVID-19, leading to confusion, contradictory messaging, and uncertainty about whether to follow COVID-19 control efforts or not. These examples show how multiple risks can all affect health systems, leading to negative outcomes for people and locations with low capacities to respond to COVID-19.…”

Mortality risk attributable to wildfire-related PM2·5 pollution: a global time series study in 749 locations

“…1 For example, since the start of 2019, wildfires in California have burned more than 3 million acres, resulting in thousands of destroyed homes and businesses. 2 The wildfires in Australia have affected every state and destroyed more than 2000 homes and burned millions of acres. 3 Wildfires have both direct and indirect effects on health with potentially lasting consequences.…”