Extreme weather events can have serious negative impacts far beyond the event itself. Research has outlined just what kind of damage wildfires can have long after a blaze is clear, and study authors underlined one notable effect.
What's happening?
International research published in the Nature Climate Change journal, summarized by The Conversation, has linked a warming climate to fire smoke exposure deaths all over the world.
It was found that fire smoke-related deaths attributed to rising temperatures have increased significantly in recent decades, from a proportion of 1.2% in the 1960s to 12.8% in the 2010s.
These figures were obtained by computer modeling that analyzed how climate factors, like higher air temperatures and lower humidity, influenced fire activity and smoke exposure.
Wildfires are made more likely in hotter, drier conditions, in which vegetation becomes increasingly combustible. While smoke is also produced by other factors — such as the controlled burning of forest space to clear areas for agriculture and to encourage new growth — the impact of a warmer climate is increasing the risk of wildfire events, thus putting us more at risk of smoke exposure.
Why is smoke exposure concerning?
As Professor Fay Johnston of Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, observed while writing for The Conversation, smoke inhalation can make existing diseases worse in the short term by triggering immune responses that can increase blood pressure, blood glucose, and create blood clots. For those with chronic illnesses like heart disease and blood vessel disease, this can make heart attacks and strokes more likely.
Over the long term, smoke can increase the risk of heart disease, lung disease, asthma, diabetes, and stroke.
This creates a much more concerning picture regarding death tolls in wildfire events. For example, Johnston's own team studied death tolls from Australian bushfires between 2019 and 2020, finding that while 33 deaths were directly attributed to those fires, a further 429 people died because of smoke-related issues.
What can be done to decrease smoke exposure?
Johnston calls for increased education as we adapt to a smokier planet so that the public can reduce risks from smoke inhalation, and health professionals can deal with the related problems accordingly.
🗣️ Do you worry about air pollution in your town?
🔘 All the time 💯
🔘 Often 😢
🔘 Only sometimes 😟
🔘 Never 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Monitoring air quality, making the most of air filtration devices, and wearing face masks can all help reduce individual exposure.
But reducing the risk of wildfires can also help, and as the international research suggested, reducing the rate of global temperature rises is a good place to start.
Avoiding dirty fuels is essential to slashing the release of gases that trap heat in our atmosphere. This can be achieved by walking or cycling more, rather than driving, and by investing in domestic renewable energy technology that reduces our reliance on grid-provided power — which is still overwhelmingly generated using oil, gas, and coal. Not only can this help reduce our personal polluting output, but it can save us money, too.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
