For pulmonologists and their patients, increased rates of wildfire raise questions about how best to avoid wildfire smoke harms both now and in the future.
Some pulmonologists and other experts are not breathing easy over projections of a potential global health crisis due to wildfires. The United Nations projects a 14% global increase in extreme fires by 2030, a 30% jump by the end of 2050, and a 50% increase by the end of the century. Federal agenciesthat as more of us are exposed to wildfire pollution, our risk also increases for cardiopulmonary effects, especially in the elderly, children, and those with clinical diagnoses.
“Identifying at-risk populations and targeting them with interventions is probably the most effective approach to take,” Christopher Migliaccio, PhD, a toxicologist and research associate professor at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana, said in an interview. “The key is having the resources — people, funds — to do something like this. It’s not an easy ask in a rural state like Montana, but maybe it’s more feasible in a place like California.
“Maybe the public doesn't actually know how bad the air is for them. They might not be aware that if you have asthma, you are 40% more likely to go to the emergency department on a smoky day than on a non-smoky day,” Bhutani said in an interview. “Or that a blue mask is not as good as an N95 mask that will keep out the particulates.”
This is especially important, according to Bhutani, whose research has centered on the underdiagnosis of lung disease in the general population. “If you don't know whether you have one of these conditions, maybe you are less likely to pay attention to the air quality. Then you expose yourself to poor air quality that might trigger asthma or COPD symptoms,” Bhutani said.
Asthmatic Tobacco Cessation Quitting Tobacco Use Smoking Cessation Toxicology Toxicity Poisoning Toxins Smoking Smoker Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease COAD - Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease COAD California Montana Pregnancy Pregnant Lung Environmental Exposure Pollutant Pollution
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