As bushfire smoke spreads, who’s at risk?

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Billings, Mont. (AFP) – Smoke from wildfires in the western United States and Canada covers most of the continent, including thousands of miles on the east coast. Experts say the phenomenon is becoming more common as human-caused global warming causes larger and more intense fires.

Smoke pollution reached unhealthy levels this week in communities from Washington state to Washington, DC

Researchers say you get used to it.

“These fires are going to be burning all summer,” said University of Washington bushfire smoke expert Dan Jaffe. “In terms of poor air quality, everywhere in the country will be worse than average this year.”

Increasing scientific research points to potential long-term health harms from inhaling microscopic smoke particles. Authorities have struggled to better protect people from the harmful effects, but they face challenges in communicating the risks to vulnerable communities and people who live too far from burning forests.

Why so much smoking and how dangerous it is?

Decades of aggressive extinguishing have allowed dead trees and other fuels to accumulate in the forests. Climate change is now drying up landscapes, making it easier for fires to start and spread even as more people move into fire-prone areas.

The number of unhealthy air quality days recorded in 2021 by nationwide pollution monitors is more than double the number so far in each of the past two years, according to figures provided by the Environmental Protection Agency to the Associated Press. Officials said wildfires are likely to be the driver behind the increase.

The amount of smoke released by wildfires stems directly from how much land is burning – more than 4,100 square miles (10,600 square kilometers) in the United States and 4,800 square miles (12,500 square kilometers) in Canada so far in 2021. That’s less than an average of 10 Years at this time of year for both countries, but forecasters warn conditions could worsen as severe drought intensifies, affecting 85% of the west.

Wildfire smoke contains hundreds of chemical compounds, many of which can be harmful in large doses. Health officials use the concentration of smoke particles in the air to measure the severity of the danger to the public.

In the bad fire years of the past decade, hells across the West have released more than 1 million tons of particulates annually, according to US Forest Service research.

Scientists link exposure to smoke with long-term health problems including decreased lung function, a weakened immune system and higher rates of influenza. In the short term, people at risk can be hospitalized and sometimes die from excessive smoke, according to doctors and public health officials.

When communities burn, the smoke can be especially dangerous. The 2018 fire in Paradise, California killed 85 people and also set fire to 14,000 homes, creating a thick plume that covered parts of northern California for weeks. The smoke from burning homes and buildings contains more toxic plastics and other manufactured materials as well as chemicals stored in garages.

Where are the fires?

Nearly 80 major fires are now burning across the United States, including 19 in Montana. The largest Bootleg fire in eastern Oregon has grown to 618 square miles (1,600 square kilometers). That’s half the size of Rhode Island, yet fewer than 200 homes and other structures have been confirmed to be missing because the sparsely populated area is on fire.

More than 200 fires are burning in Manitoba and Ontario, according to Canadian officials.

Weather patterns and fire intensity determine who gets smoked. Massive fires generate so much heat that they can produce their own clouds that transport smoke high into the atmosphere.

“It’s spreading across the country and spreading slowly, forming sort of this layer of haze in the sky,” said meteorologist Miles Bliss of the National Weather Service in Medford, Oregon.

Air pollution data shows that the combined plume from Canada and the United States largely passed over parts of the Midwest this week before settling at ground level across an area stretching from northeast Ohio to New England and south to the Carolinas.

Health effects can occur thousands of miles away from flames. The smoke loses its telltale smell, but it remains a potential hazard even when it drifts away, said Jeff Pearce, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University.

“It’s definitely unhealthy,” Pierce said of the air along the East Coast in recent days. “If you have asthma or any type of respiratory illness, you’ll want to consider changing your plans if you’re going out.”

People who live near fires are more likely to be prepared and take precautions, while those who live far away inadvertently remain exposed, according to a recent study by Colorado State University epidemiologist Cheryl Magzamin and Pierce.

How do I protect myself?

Heed warnings about smoke, and avoid outdoor activities to reduce exposure if advised. Close the doors and windows, and run the air filter to clean the indoor air. Face masks can protect you from inhaling smoke. As with COVID-19, N95 masks are the most effective because they are designed to block out the smallest particles.

An online interactive smoke map released last year by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Forest Service on a trial basis has attracted millions of viewers. To reach people faster, officials are considering using mobile phone notifications that would alert users when thick smoke could engulf their communities, according to agency spokeswoman Enesta Jones.

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Associated Press reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York.

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Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter: MatthewBrownAP

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