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In the past few decades, wildfire activity has increased in the western United States and Canada, and can be attributed, at least in part, to a changing climate. The air pollution from wildfires has been associated with increased risk of exacerbations of respiratory disease, specifically asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but also with some cardiovascular health endpoints, and mortality. Dr. Colleen Reid, assistant professor in Geography at the University of Colorado, Boulder, will provide an overview of what is known and not known about the health impacts of exposure to smoke from wildfires. In the summer of 2014, the Northwest Territories (Canada) experienced a severe wildfire season with prolonged smoke events and poor air quality. Dr. Warren Dodd, Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo, Canada, will discuss his team's qualitative study that explored how this wildfire season affected mental and physical health in addition to livelihoods of residents in four communities. Dr. Dodd will also share the perspectives of interviewees concerning adaptation and policy recommendations for future extended wildfire seasons and smoke events.

Media Record Details

Oct 1, 2018
Colleen Reid

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Smoke & Air Quality
Climate & Smoke
Smoke & Populations
Smoke Emissions
Smoke Emissions and Inventory

NRFSN number: 18374
FRAMES RCS number: 56657
Record updated: