At the Intersection: Protecting Public Health from Smoke While Addressing the U.S. Wildfire Crisis
To combat the Wildfire Crisis in the U.S., prescribed fire is being instituted at an unprecedented scale. While there are documented examples of the ability of prescribed fire to reduce the size and intensity of individual fires, and subsequently smoke produced, prescribed fire also produces smoke. With one of the goals of prescribed fire being to reduce the amount of smoke emitted from future wildfires, it is important that public health actions be taken to reduce the air quality and public health impacts associated with prescribed fire too. This commentary highlights remaining knowledge gaps around prescribed fire that if addressed can better ensure public health is protected and argues that prescribed fire presents us with an opportunity to prepare communities for smoke that is often not possible during wildfire events.