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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

The Impact of Western United States Wildfires on Public Safety, Air Quality and Health
Georgia Stucki
Salt Lake Community College
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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

Abstract

The research includes a report from the National Interagency Fire Center, specializes in reporting

large fires going on in the United States and around the world. The report updates every Friday

and shows the year to date statistics on the number of fires and acres affected by said fires. The

US Climate and Health Alliance posted on their blog site “Wildfires and Public Health: A view

from the Front Lines.” The article includes a different perspective on who and what is affected

when wildfires occur. Airnow.gov is a website used to get real-time air quality estimates

throughout the world. The Insurance Information Institute reported in 2018 the five major fires

that broke out that year with the reported deaths, structural damage, and acres affected by the

growing flames. Frontline, a website posted in part by PBS UTAH posted a story written by Zoe

Todd, Sydney Trattner and Jane McMullen focusing on the Camp Fire anniversary what

happened with the CodeRED emergency system. All information is used to show the rising

impacts of wildfires on public safety, air quality and public health in the United States of

America.

Keywords: Climate Change, Wildfire, Impacts

Introduction

As the decade ends, wildfires are becoming a more prevalent issue in our lives. Wildfires cause a

multitude of issues when it comes to public safety, air quality, and public health. The rising rate

of occurring largely based fires with the rise of the area affected by the fires within the last few

years will have a detrimental impact on the earth. According to the National Interagency Fire

Center, 2016 had 60,317 fires that occupied 5,291,786 acres of land. By 2017, 57,422 fires had
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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

started with a total of 9,425,942 acres of land being taken over by the fire. (NIFC, December 6,

2019 Report) The land in the western United States of America is getting drier causing the

wildfire season to lengthen. According to the US Climate and Health Alliance, “Climate change

is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires due to increased warming and drought in

areas such as the Western United States and Alaska.” (Moy, B. 2016) Rising population is also

causing more and more people to be at risk of living in areas with a high risk of wildfire dangers.

According to Facts + Statistics on Insurance Information Institute, As of September 2019, The

Number #1 state for high to extreme wildfire risk is California with an estimated number of

2,019,800 properties at risk. (Insurance Information Institute)

Global warming is causing change everywhere on the planet but in some places it’s different

than others. The one thing all places have in common when it comes to climate change is the

earth is getting warmer. Ice is being to melt, and those places are now experiencing temperatures

they have never seen before. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists article, Is Global

Warming Fueling Increasing Wildfire Risks, “temperatures and precipitation levels are projected

to alter further over the course of the 21st century, the overall potential for wildfires in the

western United States is project to increase. (2011, September 9)

Public Safety

Public Safety falls on local, state and federal governments to provide safety and resources for the

public during the time of disasters and emergencies. Wildfires put millions of people in danger

whether they are directly affected or miles and miles away. The proper departments are in place

to be able to handle the emergency but not at the capacity that wildfires are ruining the land. The

Insurance Information Institute (III) reported that in 2018, five major large area fires broke out

and changed history when it comes to wildfires in America. The Camp Fire started on November
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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

8th in Butte County, Northern California was the most destructive and dangerous wildfire to

affect the state. 85 people died, 153,000 acres burned, and 18,800 structures were destroyed.

(Insurance Information Institute) According to an article by Zoe Todd, Sydney Trattner and Jane

McMullen posted on Frontline, a free emergency communication system was set up to notify

52,000 people of the evacuation order called CodeRED. “Only 7,000 of the 52,000 people who

evacuated the affected area received alerts about the approaching wildfire, according to the

report.” (Todd, Z, 2019) The growing fire-affected everything from people receiving the

emergency message to blocking the road when it comes to evacuating the area as instructed.

Without the evacuation system reaching everyone in the area, public safety was at high risk. As

the threat of wildfires grows in populated areas, local, state and federal governments a new

notification system needs to be put in place, but how? The wildfires grow at such a rapid rate that

how is it public officials will send out the message in time to reach everyone. The Camp Fire in

California was one of the deadliest because of the emergency system failing and phone/power

lines going down, causing more obstacles for people trying to flee the area.

Air Quality

The increase of wildfires throughout the past decade has increased the harmful gases that float in

our atmosphere. The harmful gases can cause respiratory problems, immune system issues, and

cardiovascular problems. Another factor of wildfires is the larger the fire, the more smoke

produced. Airnow.gov is a website used to see the current air quality in the United States in real-

time. According to airnow.gov, “Smoke is a complex mixture of carbon dioxide, water vapor,

carbon monoxide, particles, hydrocarbons and other organic chemicals, nitrogen oxides, and

trace minerals.” (Wildfire Frequently Asked Questions) The smoke then travels miles and miles

affecting the air quality in other cities and even states around it. Indoor air quality is just as big of
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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

a concern as outdoor air quality when it comes to wildfires. Public safety agencies will encourage

people that are in a safe zone far enough away from the fire but close enough to the smoke to

stay indoors. However, the people that stay indoors need to be careful about all the ways that the

air can still get into the household. Experts on Airnow.gov suggest getting air purifiers that will

take the harmful gases and fine particles out of the air in the home, making it healthy to breathe.

If an air purifier is too expensive or not a rational purchase, consider purchasing a P100 mask or

NIOSH N95. Limit time outside and exposure to the bad air quality if possible. (Wildfire Smoke

Frequently Asked Questions)

Public Health

Public health is always a priority for people in American. Public officials have a duty of trying to

keep most of the population healthy and safe. However, when wildfires break out in largely

populated areas, the effects of wildfire smoke can cause deadly effects. The US Climate and

Health Alliance has a mission of trying to find better ways to provide healthcare in an emergency

to more people around the United States. A blog written by Bryan Moy titled “Wildfires and

Public Health: A view from the Front Lines” talks about the impact wildfires have on public

health. Dr. Karen Tait was interviewed during this clog and stated, “following the wildfire, the

psychological recovery has been one of the most difficult problems.” (Moy, B, 2016) During the

wildfire, particles are burnt up and sent up in the air. The carbon dioxide, nitroxide, water vapor,

and particle matter float up into the air with the smoke from the fire rising. Particle matter is

especially dangerous because people can deeply inhale the small particles into their lungs,

causing long term problems. People already experiencing respiratory issues, immune issues and

cardiovascular issues are at a higher risk of becoming in great danger from the wildfires.
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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

However, firefighters are more in danger from the harmful gases from the wildfire than anybody.

Firefighters are on the front lines every fire trying to save the lives of the people around it.

Conclusion

Climate change plays a role in what will happen to the rate of wildfires throughout the United

States of America. The impacts of wildfire aren’t just that of health but of safety and the overall

wellbeing of Earth itself. The reports and studies prove that wildfires are having a direct effect on

public safety, air quality, and public health as we know it. Public safety is being directly affected

by highly populated places showing the highest risk of extreme wildfires. Wildfire deaths are

rising because of the lack of emergency systems able to get the message out to everyone in the

dangerous areas. Air Quality is being directly affected by having chemicals and particles floating

through our atmosphere several thousands of miles away, affecting everyone in its path. Finally,

public health overall is directly affected because of the way air travels and how smoke floats in

our atmosphere. The people at the greatest risk of harmful effects are the women and men on the

front lines fighting the fires firsthand. The greatest takeaway from this research is that we need to

start taking care of our earth better. Climate change is truly changing the course of people’s lives

and their safety. Climate change needs to be the world’s number one priority if we do not want

to see the harsh impacts it will have on us, more than it is already.
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IMPACTS OF WILDFRIES ON PUBLIC SAFETY, AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH

References

Todd, Z., Trattner, S., & McMullen, J. (2019, October 25). Ahead of Camp Fire Anniversary, New Details

Emerge of Troubled Evacuation. Retrieved December 7, 2019, from

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/camp-fire-anniversary-new-details-troubled-evacuation/.

Daily Statistics 12/06/19. (2019, December 6). Retrieved December 7, 2019, from

https://www.nifc.gov/fireInfo/nfn.htm.

Facts Statistics: Wildfires. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-

wildfires.

Wildfire Smoke Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_wildfires_faqs#what.

Moy, B. (2016, August 8). Wildfires and Public Health: A View from the Front Lines. Retrieved from

http://usclimateandhealthalliance.org/wildfires-public-health-view-front-lines/.

Is Global Warming Fueling Increased Wildfire Risks? (2011, September 9). Retrieved from

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/global-warming-fueling-increased-wildfire-risks#.WDcsl3eZNUc.