Public Health Impact of Prescribed Fire (PHIRE) Study

The webinar does not have the abstract. 

Impact/Purpose

This webinar presents a summary of results from the research on the health effects from prescribed burning. This project was supported in part by a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention’s (CAL FIRE) Forest Health Research Program (Agreements #8GG19803 & 8GG20801), as part of California Climate Investments. California Climate Investments is a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities.    publication name: Public Health Impact of Prescribed Fire (“PHIRE”) Study, Presentation to the California Air Resources Board, November 20, 2023 WHERE SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION:  California Air Resources Board (CARB) presentation requested by the Health and Exposure Assessment Branch, November 20, 2023 SUMMARY and significance: Prescribed fire is a forest management strategy for reducing risk of wildfires. The Public Health Impact of Prescribed Fire (“PHIRE”) study was funded in part by CALFIRE to examine potential health impacts of planned increase in prescribed fire. This RAP is for presentation to CARB that is summary of the PHIRE study. CARB requested a presentation covering the study’s multiple products. Research included wildfire and prescribed fire smoke exposure modeling, assessment of community impacts, and estimation of health burden of past wildfire and prescribed fire, and future prescribed fire. Community research found that residents in the wildland urban interface experience health impacts both from wildfire smoke and prescribed fire smoke, are generally very supportive of prescribed fire, but also desire more education and better notification. Health burden projections suggested that more people would experience smoke more often although exposures were associated with lower concentrations than in the past. With the increased number of days of exposure near populated areas, the health burden would also increase relative to past prescribed fire. Understanding the potential burden of prescribed fire may help protect public health and increase safety from wildfires.

Citation

Rappold, A. Public Health Impact of Prescribed Fire (PHIRE) Study. Emory University, Atlanta, NC, November 15, 2023.