Introduction
Today, many countries worldwide are working to reduce air pollution. At the same time, climate change, driven by temperature extremes, results in wildfires that cause substantial ecosystem damage and affect communities. In 2023, massive wildfires in Canada negatively affected the health of Canadians and Americans. The current research examines the consequences of wildfire-related air pollution. According to the findings, particulate matter from wildfire smoke led to increased hospitalizations and medical facility visits among patients with respiratory diseases, including asthma.
Causes of Rise in Air Pollution
In 2023, Canada faced an unprecedented and record-breaking fire season – according to wildland fire experts, more than 18 million hectares were burned by blazes. At the same time, this natural disaster had highly negative, long-lasting consequences, as it led to deterioration in air quality both locally and at a distance (Chen et al., 2023). For instance, smoke from Canadian wildfires has spread across a wide area, causing substantial air pollution in U.S. cities.
Thus, in June 2023, “experts ranked New York as the city with the worst air pollution worldwide”. Due to wildfires in Quebec, it temporarily outperformed traditionally polluted metropolitan areas, including New Delhi, Lahore, Doha, and Baghdad (Brown, 2023). Hazardous air quality resulted in the cancellation of outdoor school activities and public events.
Health Effects
However, air pollution in U.S. cities is closely connected with more serious issues for human health and well-being. In particular, wildfire smoke may be regarded as a complex mixture that contains gases and particles, including volatile organic compounds and oxides, that irritate the nose, eyes, and throat (Buckler, 2023). However, PM2.5 is the most dangerous of them – when inhaled, this “extremely fine particulate matter […] can penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream” (Brown, 2023, p. 1).
As a result, it may exacerbate existing respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic conditions and negatively impact mental health and birth outcomes (McArdle et al., 2023). Therefore, exposure to wildfire smoke led to an instant increase in emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in the United States. In particular, “during the smoke wave, citywide daily mean PM2.5 levels reached 100.9 μg/m3 […] and asthma syndrome ED visits increased to 261 per day, […] both peaking on June 7, 2023” (Chen et al., 2023, p. 1387). While multiple factors contribute to the exacerbation of medical conditions, the impact of air pollution is undeniable.
In general, outdoor air pollution is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality. Particularly, air pollution exposures are associated with the development of asthma, a serious disease that affects the quality of life of millions of adults and children across the globe. As wildfire smoke is characterized by the presence of multiple respiratory irritants that trigger asthma, air pollution caused by the natural disaster in Canada led to an increase in hospital admissions in patients with this illness as well.
According to McArdle et al.(2023), “higher-than-expected asthma-associated ED visits were observed among persons of all ages and those aged 5–17, 18–64, and ≥65 years but were most common among persons aged 18–64 years” (p. 927). Moreover, syndromic surveillance reports indicate that asthma-related visits were higher than expected on days when wildfire smoke levels were lower, especially among children and adolescents.
Required Measures
Therefore, the consequences of wildfires for human health underscore the need for change in public settings, including schools, government buildings, apartments, and businesses. In addition, it is essential to consider the frequency of these incidents if global temperatures are affected by climate change. Therefore, the ventilation and air filtration systems should be examined and improved, and air quality sensors should be deployed to ensure appropriate indoor air quality.
In addition, communities and schools should be involved in planning public events, canceling outdoor activities if necessary, and providing adequate responses that address the special needs of individuals with asthma and other respiratory diseases that may be exacerbated by wildfire smoke. In addition, vulnerable populations, including individuals with respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, should be prepared to wear masks to minimize the negative impact of inhaling smoke particles and hazardous gases.
Conclusion
To conclude, wildfires may be perceived as serious natural disasters that substantially impact countries’ economic, social, ecological, and healthcare systems. While cleaner engines and environmental regulations improve air quality worldwide, computer simulations predict a rise in global temperatures. As a result, drier conditions make large wildfires and associated higher smoke concentrations common. The wildfires of 2023 in Canada demonstrate the importance of assessing solutions to this issue, as they led to severe consequences not only for locals but also for residents of the United States. In particular, air pollution in several U.S. cities caused by wildfire smoke led to increased hospital admissions, especially among patients with respiratory diseases.
References
Brown, S. M. (2023). East coast cities grapple with worsening air pollution as Canadian wildfire smoke engulfs the region. Afro – American.
Buckler, L. (2023). Air quality forecast map shows Canadian wildfire smoke spread across the US; Poor air quality and pollution from more than 1,000 Canadian wildfires is threatening residents’ health in Chicago, Illinois, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Daily Mirror.
Chen, K., Ma, Y., Bell, M. L., & Yang, W. (2023). Canadian wildfire smoke and asthma syndrome emergency department visits in New York City. JAMA, 330(14), 1385-1387.
McArdle, C. E., Dowling, T. C., Carey, K., DeVies, J., Johns, D., Gates, A. L., Stein, Z., van Santen, K. L., Radhakrishnan, L., Kite-Powell, A., Soetebier, K., Sacks, J. D., Sircar, K., Hartnett, K. P., & Mirabelli, M. C. (2023). Asthma-associated emergency department visits during the Canadian wildfire smoke episodes—United States, April–August 2023. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72(34), 926–932.