Human Health Impacts of Forest Fires in the Southern United States: A Literature Review

Fowler, Cynthia

doi:10.5038/2162-4593.7.1.3

Cited by 64 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Smoke is one specific area of concern to individual health from wildfires. Fowler (2003) reviewed human health impacts of forest fires. She pointed to the importance of evaluating forest fires from the perspective of gains (improved social, cultural, economic, and political systems) as well as risks (e.g., through short and longer term impacts on public health).…”

Section: Impacts Of Wildland Fire-mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chapter 4.2, "Fire and Tribal Cultural Resources," considers how fires, including wildfires, can provide benefits by sustaining tribally valued resources and associated lifeways, although the specific impacts of wildfires of different size and severity to such resources need further examination. Specific impacts of concern to vulnerable populations overlap those for air quality in general and include impaired visibility from smoke as well as health effects on young children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing conditions (Fowler 2003). …”

Section: Impacts Of Wildland Fire-mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An additional health concern is the occupational exposure for firefighters (Fowler 2003). The literature on impacts to infrastructure from impaired air quality may be helpful in pointing to additional areas of consideration, for example, the damage caused to exteriors of buildings from pollutants (see Winter 1999).…”

Section: Impacts Of Wildland Fire-mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Science synthesis to support socioecological resilience in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range

Long¹,

Quinn‐Davidson²,

Skinner³

2014

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Section: Impacts Of Wildland Fire-mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Impacts Of Wildland Fire-mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Science synthesis to support socioecological resilience in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range

Long¹,

Quinn‐Davidson²,

Skinner³

2014

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“…Most of the rural population depends on both non-forest and forest products derived from forest and woodlands and when they are destroyed by fires the economic cost of these fires is substantial. Exposure to forest fires impacts psychosocial wellbeing in a variety of ways (Evans & Kantrowitz 2002;Fowler 2003) ranging from temporary frustration, to temporary or permanent reduction of health-related quality of life (HRQL), to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) feeling jumpy, avoiding reminders of the fire, nightmares, dreams, and disturbing memories (Maida 1989). However, there are no detailed studies that have evaluated both the social and psychosocial impacts of veld fires on people in the affected areas of Zimbabwe and this calls for further research.…”

Section: Social Impacts Of Firesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the causes, socio-economic and environmental impacts, and management of veld fires in tropical Zimbabwe

et al. 2013

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Veld fires are a common phenomenon in the predominantly savanna ecosystems of Zimbabwe. Until now no studies have investigated the causes, and socio-economic and environmental impacts of veld fires in Zimbabwe. Yet such information is crucial for planning and implementation of fire prevention and control practices. The present study uses multiple sources of information including review of published literature, reports from regulatory agencies, informal interviews and field observations to address the following objectives; (1) to identify the key causes of veld fires in Zimbabwe, (2) to investigate the socio-economic and environmental impacts of veld fires, (3) to highlight management practices for the control of veld fires and (4) to identify research gaps on causes and management of veld fires in Zimbabwe. This review showed that the main causes of veld fires are anthropogenic. The impacts of fires are multifaceted and are a threat to the bio-physical, social and economic environment because of their trail of destruction and they directly impact all sectors of the economy. Impacts range from loss of livelihoods and income, psychosocial impacts associated with fatalities and family bereavement, loss of biodiversity and disturbance of the hydrological balance. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to prevent veld fires because, besides the negative impacts of veld fires, fire also play an important positive role in many Zimbabwean ecosystems. In view of this, fire management should move away from fire fighting to management practices such as early burning that reduces the negative impact, and enhance the positive effects of veld fires.

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“…Emissions characterization for both gases and particles is needed to determine potential impacts of prescribed burning on nutrient cycling, atmospheric albedo, human health, and visibility e.g. [13,19,20]. The southern U.S. was one of the first regions of the country to examine the impact of prescribed burning on air quality in both the laboratory and in the field [9,21]; recent advances in measurement devices provided an opportunity to improve knowledge of emissions using state-of the art instrumentation capable of real-time and in situ emissions measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Particulate and trace gas emissions from prescribed burns in southeastern U.S. fuel types: Summary of a 5-year project

Weise

Johnson

Reardon

2015

Fire Safety Journal

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a b s t r a c tManagement of smoke from prescribed fires requires knowledge of fuel quantity and the amount and composition of the smoke produced by the fire to minimize adverse impacts on human health. A five-year study produced new emissions information for more than 100 trace gases and particulate matter in smoke for fuel types found in the southern United States of America using state-of-the-art instrumentation in both laboratory and field experiments. Emission factors for flaming, smoldering, and residual smoldering were developed. Agreement between laboratory and field-derived emission factors was generally good in most cases. Reference spectra of over 50 wildland fire gas-phase smoke components were added to a publicly-available database to support identification via infrared spectroscopy. Fuel loading for the field experiments was similar to previously measured fuels. This article summarizes the results of a five-year study to better understand the composition of smoke during all phases of burning for such forests.

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Human Health Impacts of Forest Fires in the Southern United States: A Literature Review

Cited by 64 publications

References 46 publications

Science synthesis to support socioecological resilience in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range

Science synthesis to support socioecological resilience in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Range

Understanding the causes, socio-economic and environmental impacts, and management of veld fires in tropical Zimbabwe

Particulate and trace gas emissions from prescribed burns in southeastern U.S. fuel types: Summary of a 5-year project

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