Canadian Forest Fires and the Effects of Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Hospitalizations among the Elderly

Abstract

In July 2002, lightning strikes ignited over 250 fires in Quebec, Canada, destroying over one million hectares of forest. The smoke plume generated from the fires had a major impact on air quality across the east coast of the U.S. Using data from the Medicare National Claims History File and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National air pollution monitoring network, we evaluated the health impact of smoke exposure on 5.9 million elderly people (ages 65+) in the Medicare population in 81 counties in 11 northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States of the US. We estimated differences OPEN ACCESS ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2014, 3 714 in the exposure to ambient PM 2.5 -airborne particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5 µm-concentrations and hospitalizations for cardiovascular, pulmonary and injury outcomes, before and during the smoke episode. We found that there was an associated 49.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 29.8, 72.3) and 64.9% (95% CI, 44.3-88.5) increase rate of hospitalization for respiratory and cardiovascular diagnoses, respectively, when the smoke plume was present compared to before the smoke plume had arrived. Our study suggests that rapid increases in PM 2.5 concentrations resulting from wildfire smoke can impact the health of elderly populations thousands of kilometers removed from the fires.

Satellite‐Based Daily PM2.5 Estimates During Fire Seasons in Colorado

“…However, health effects of urban PM 2.5 and wildfire PM 2.5 might differ (Le et al, 2014; J. C. Liu et al, 2017; Wegesser et al, 2010; Wong et al, 2011), because wildfire PM 2.5 predominantly comes from burning trees and underbrush, resulting in higher organic aerosols than those in urban air pollutions (Alves et al, 2011; Na & Cocker, 2008).…”

“…Previous studies usually used the PM 2.5 simulations from the chemical transport models (CTMs) or the ground measurements of PM 2.5 (Le et al, 2014). CTM simulations over fire events might have biases due to the uncertainties in fire emissions (Tian et al, 2009).…”

Lung function measures following simulated wildland firefighter exposures

“…These fires are predicted to continue or worsen in many regions throughout the world (18) . During these wildland fire events, emissions of wood smoke PM 2.5 can impact ambient air quality in communities thousands of kilometers downwind (20) . It can also infiltrate homes resulting in indoor PM concentrations similar to levels observed outside (21–24) .…”

Fogs: Physical Basis, Characteristic Properties, and Impacts on the Environment and Human Health

“…The smog/haze-fog formation basically depends on the atmospheric aerosol loading levels and meteorological state, particularly, on air humidity. Important factors defining or influencing the loadings of the atmospheric air with polluting aerosols or chemical compounds and, by this manner, the occurrence and evolution of smog/haze-fog, are the natural air circulations and solar irradiation [24,91,92], as well as some anthropogenic ones resulting from traffic or industrial fuel combustion, heating, fires, or of other industrial and construction human activities [93][94][95].…”