Health Effects of Wildland Fire-related Air Pollution: Regional Sources, Risk Factors and Mitigation

Wildland fire emissions worsen air quality and are causing a growing public health burden driven largely by adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes. Much of this evidence to date has been derived from human epidemiological studies, although several questions remain including the role of regional differences in biomass fuel type, the impacts of combustion conditions, the influence of environmental justice-related intrinsic and extrinsic factors that elevate risk, the utility of mitigation efforts and finally, the contribution of structural fires to emissions and health effects in the wildland urban interface. This seminar will examine these issues by 1) presenting data derived from various approaches used to assess the health and biological effects of wildland fire-related air pollution, particularly cardiovascular and pulmonary outcomes and 2) discussing the influence of emissions chemistry.

Impact/Purpose

On September 7th, Dr. Aimen Farraj presented an in-person webinar entitled “Health Effects of Wildland Fire-related Air Pollution: Regional Sources, Risk Factors and Mitigation” at the Fall Business Meeting of the Western States Air Resources Council (WESTAR) in Missoula, MT. Dr. Farraj was invited by WESTAR, an organization that works with 15 western state air quality agencies to promote the exchange of information regarding western regional air quality issues of common concern. Dr. Farraj was invited in part to help state air directors increase their understanding of the health impacts of wildfire smoke on communities in the West. 

Citation

Farraj, A. Health Effects of Wildland Fire-related Air Pollution: Regional Sources, Risk Factors and Mitigation. Fall Business Meeting of the Western States Air Resources Council (WESTAR) in Missoula, MT, Missoula, MT, September 07 - 08, 2022.