Climate change and public health in California: A structured review of exposures, vulnerable populations, and adaptation measures

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(32)

Published: July 29, 2024

California faces several serious direct and indirect climate exposures that can adversely affect public health, some of which are already occurring. The health burden now in the future will depend on atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, underlying population vulnerabilities, adaptation efforts. Here, we present a structured review recent literature to examine leading risks California, including extreme heat, precipitation, wildfires, air pollution, infectious diseases. Comparisons among different climate-health pathways difficult due inconsistencies study design regarding spatial temporal scales outcomes examined. We find, however, current likely affects thousands Californians each year, depending exposure pathway outcome. Further, while more evidence exists for proximal effects focus this review, distal (e.g., impacts drought nutrition) uncertain but could add burden. find measures provide significant benefits, particularly disadvantaged communities. conclude with priority recommendations analyses solution-driven policy actions.

Language: Английский

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Living Near Wildfires and the Risk of Fetal Congenital Heart Defects: Evaluating Critical Windows of Vulnerability

American Journal of Perinatology Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(01), P. e18 - e24

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Background Wildfires produce air pollutants that have been associated with complications during pregnancy. This study examined the association between wildfire exposure before and pregnancy odds of congenital heart defect (CHD) in offspring. Methods retrospective cohort used California Linked Birth File Forestry Fire Protection data 2007 2010. Patients living within 15 miles were considered exposed. Multivariate logistic regression models to estimate by these various metrics atrial septal (ASD) or ventricular (VSD) types CHD compared pregnancies without exposure. Results Compared births exposure, those first-, second-, third-trimester a higher risk ASD first-trimester adjusted ratio (aOR) 1.11 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04–1.18), second-trimester aOR 1.12 CI: 1.07–1.18), 1.08 1.02–1.14). Wildfire critical window fetal development (weeks 3–8) was 1.02–1.23). Conclusion appears increase developing ASD. Key points

Language: Английский

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Evaporative coolers and wildfire smoke exposure: a climate justice issue in hot, dry regions

Frontiers in Public Health, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

Low-income families in dry regions, including the Southwestern United States, frequently cool their homes with evaporative ("swamp") coolers (ECs). While inexpensive and energy efficient compared to central air conditioners, ECs pull unfiltered outdoor into home, creating a health hazard occupants when wildfire smoke heat events coincide. A community-engaged research project reduce was conducted California's San Joaquin Valley of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers. total 88 study participants were asked about level satisfaction EC willingness pay for filtration. About 47% reported dissatisfaction EC, most reason being that it brings dust pollution. Participants highly satisfied cleaners filters offered them free-of-charge. However, analysis showed filtration solutions would not be adopted without significant subsidies; furthermore, an ongoing cost due need regularly replace filters. Short-term users are feasible implement may exposure during events. Such at low-or no-cost barriers adoption. Longer term include prioritizing exposed regions replacement cooling technologies provide clean air. Because disproportionately low-income homes, addressing intrusion through these devices is environmental justice issue.

Language: Английский

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Feux de forêt et impact respiratoire

Revue des Maladies Respiratoires, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Beneath the smoke: Understanding the public health impacts of the Los Angeles urban wildfires

Environmental Epidemiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 9(3), P. e388 - e388

Published: April 28, 2025

Language: Английский

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oLong-term exposure to smoke PM2.5 and COPD caused mortality for elderly people in the contiguous United States

Environment International, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 199, P. 109513 - 109513

Published: May 1, 2025

Wildfire events in the US are becoming more frequent and intensive due to climate change. Fire smoke can significantly contribute ambient PM2.5 (PM2.5, particles smaller than 2.5 µm diameter) levels alter its chemical composition. An emerging body of literature has linked COPD mortality episodic wildfire exposure, but studies on effect long-term fire exposure is lacking. We aimed evaluate how affect among elderly people explore spatial variability this effect. investigated all aged 65-100 years contiguous United States using Medicare National Death Index data from 2008 2016. identified three subregions based risk indicate differences exposure. used time-varying Cox Proportional Hazards Models mortality. found that strongly associated with increase 1 µg/m3 was a 9.2 % (95 CI: 8.8 %-9.7 %). Specifically, A may deaths by 40.4 %, 9.6 3.9 low, moderate, high areas, respectively. Our study reveals contributes people. Notably, those living regions relatively lower appear vulnerable. Therefore, prevention should be emphasized areas not typically active.

Language: Английский

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Estimation of Biomass Burning Emissions in South and Southeast Asia Based on FY-4A Satellite Observations

Atmosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(5), P. 582 - 582

Published: May 13, 2025

In recent years, frequent open biomass burning (OBB) activities such as agricultural residue and forest fires have led to severe air pollution carbon emissions across South Southeast Asia (SSEA). We selected this area our study divided it into two sub-regions based on climate characteristics geographical location: the Asian Subcontinent (SEAS), which includes India, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, etc., Equatorial (EQAS), Indonesia, Malaysia, etc. However, existing methods—primarily emission inventories relying burned area, fuel load, factors—often lack accuracy temporal resolution for capturing fire dynamics. Therefore, in study, we employed high-resolution point data from China’s Feng Yun-4A (FY-4A) geostationary satellite Fire Radiative Power (FRP) method construct a daily OBB inventory at 5 km region 2020–2022. The results show that average annual of (C), dioxide (CO2), monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), non-methane organic gases (NMOGs), hydrogen (H2), nitrogen oxide (NOX), sulfur (SO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), total (TPM), (TPC), (OC), black (BC), ammonia (NH3), nitric (NO), (NO2), hydrocarbons (NMHCs), ≤ 10 μm (PM10) are 178.39, 598.10, 33.11, 1.44, 4.77, 0.81, 1.02, 0.28, 3.47, 5.58, 2.29, 2.34, 0.24, 0.58, 0.43, 0.99, 1.87, 3.84 Tg/a, respectively. Taking C an example, 90% SSEA’s come SEAS, especially concentrated Laos western Thailand. Due La Niña anomaly 2021, surged, while EQAS showed continuous growth 16.7%. Forest woodland were dominant sources, accounting over 85% emissions. Compared with datasets Global Emissions Database (GFED) Assimilation System (GFAS), FY-4A stronger sensitivity regional adaptability, SEAS. This work provides robust dataset source identification, quality modeling, control strategies.

Language: Английский

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Global disparities in indoor wildfire-PM _2.5 exposure and mitigation costs

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 11(20)

Published: May 14, 2025

Wildfires have become more frequent and severe, evidence showed that exposure to wildfire-caused PM 2.5 (fire-PM ) is associated with adverse health effects. Fire-PM occurs mainly indoors, where people spend most of their time. As an effective timely approach mitigating indoor pollution, air purifiers incur notable costs. However, the long-term global population fire-PM economic burden using remain unknown. Here, we estimated concentration cost reducing exposure, along extra incurred because , at a resolution 0.5° by globally during 2003 2022. Our findings revealed 1009 million individuals exposed least one substantial wildfire-air pollution day per year. We identified pronounced socioeconomic disparities in costs low-income countries bearing disproportionately higher burden, emphasizing critical need for addressing these disparities.

Language: Английский

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The cost of clean air: Global disparities in reducing indoor wildfire-related PM _2.5 exposure

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 11(20)

Published: May 14, 2025

Using air purifiers to reduce indoor exposure wildfire-related PM 2.5 is effective but costly, placing a disproportionately higher financial burden on low-income countries.

Language: Английский

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Co‐Occurring Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat in the Western United States From 2006 to 2020

International Journal of Climatology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 15, 2025

ABSTRACT Warming and drying meteorological conditions associated with anthropogenic climate change have increased the risk of extreme heat wildfire in many regions around world. Extreme smoke fine particulate matter (smoke PM 2.5 ) individually contribute to substantial global morbidity mortality burdens, while emerging evidence suggests that co‐occurring events mayssssssssss synergistic impacts exacerbate adverse health outcomes. Despite potential for a high societal burden, these are an underexplored climate‐related hazard. To quantify co‐occurrence smoke, we combined daily estimates index (a combination temperature relative humidity) over western United States document spatiotemporal patterns frequency, duration intensity individual from 2006 2020. We found 130 million person‐days exposure exceedances 15‐year study period. These were most often late summer when temporal distributions typically coincide, spatially northern California Montana where overlap. best our knowledge, this presents largest database population‐level events. also show specific definitions can substantially affect both number spatial distribution events, implications future epidemiological or studies.

Language: Английский

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