Population co-exposure to extreme heat and wildfire smoke pollution in California during 2020 DOI Creative Commons

Noam Rosenthal,

Tarik Benmarhnia, Ravan Ahmadov

et al.

Environmental Research Climate, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 1(2), P. 025004 - 025004

Published: Aug. 2, 2022

Abstract Excessive warming from climate change has increased the total wildfire burned area over past several decades in California. This population exposure to both hazardous concentrations of air pollutants fires such as fine particulate matter (smoke PM 2.5 ) and extreme heat events. Exposure are individually associated with negative health impacts recent epidemiological evidence points synergistic effects concurrent exposures. study characterizes frequency spatial distribution co-occurring smoke events California during record-setting season 2020. We measure exceedances thresholds modeled surface-level index based on observed temperature humidity. estimate that, studied period, co-occurred at least once within 68% state’s (∼288 000 km 2 an average times across all affected areas. Additionally, 16.5 million people, mostly lower density areas, were impacted 2020 by Our findings suggest that public guidance adaptation policies should account for co-exposures, not only distinct exposures, when confronting .

Language: Английский

California Case Study of Wildfires and Prescribed Burns: PM2.5 Emissions, Concentrations, and Implications for Human Health DOI Creative Commons
Laura Kiely, Soroush E. Neyestani,

Samiha Binte-Shahid

et al.

Environmental Science & Technology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 58(12), P. 5210 - 5219

Published: March 14, 2024

Wildfires are a significant threat to human health, in part through degraded air quality. Prescribed burning can reduce wildfire severity but also lead an increase pollution. The complexities of fires and atmospheric processes uncertainties when predicting the quality impacts fire make it difficult fully assess costs benefits expansion prescribed fire. By modeling differences emissions, surface conditions, meteorology between burns, we present novel comparison these types under specific scenarios. One two burn scenarios were considered, with one scenario optimized for potential smoke exposure. We found that PM2.5 emissions reduced by 52%, from 0.27 0.14 Tg, burned considerably reducing concentrations. Excess short-term mortality exposure was 40 deaths conditions 39 15 default scenarios, respectively. Our findings suggest particularly planned during minimize exposure, could be net benefit wildfires on health.

Language: Английский

Citations

10
Defining and conceptualizing equity and justice in climate adaptation DOI Creative Commons
Sarah E. Walker, Elizabeth A. Smith, Natalie Bennett

et al.

Global Environmental Change, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 87, P. 102885 - 102885

Published: July 1, 2024

Diverse disciplines are contributing to the growing body of evidence exploring interaction between climate adaptation and justice and/or equity. As a result, literature lacks consistency in how terms equity applied defined, challenging efforts synthesize translate it into policy practice. This scoping review aims investigate diversity ways which researchers conceptualize common frameworks lend insight emerging practices future research needs. Our results 316 articles highlight several gaps with respect specific hazards social identity groups. The also indicate that very few scholars define differentiate justice, but when they do, issues scale, affected actors, pathways normative principles key components such definitions. We expand on these themes, arguing there is little utility practitioners coming complete consensus best approaches for studying evaluating justice. Rather, needs address plurality by being explicit their definitions conceptual grounding. provide guidance achieving clarity both study practice adaptation. Finally, we compare according most relevant contexts. conclude underscoring importance pluralism measured defined as parallels diverse contexts occurs. our call more nuanced investigation communication intersect

Language: Английский

Citations

9
Quantifying wildfire risk to the built environment in rural rangelands of the US Interior West DOI
Devan Allen McGranahan, Carissa L. Wonkka

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1924)

Published: April 1, 2025

Fire increasingly conflicts with the built environment. The wildland–urban interface (WUI) describes areas where vegetation near environment increases wildfire hazard. In United States, attention concentrates on WUI in forested areas, but human populations are extending into rangelands. combination of expansion and woody plant encroachment might present novel challenges to management, especially given rural nature rangelands US, which extends response time emergency services. We use publicly available data describe abundance, distribution, type overall risk Most US Interior West (54%) occurs rangeland: majority is rangeland 4.3% that—over 1 million km 2 —is WUI. rural: 59% further than 10 from town tribal even more remote. Rangeland approximately twice as likely be degraded by non-WUI rangeland, suggesting that conventional fire suppression tactics for fuels insufficient or unsafe. Greater awareness help leverage community-level adaptive capacity against protecting lives property beyond urban/peri-urban zones. This article part theme issue ‘Novel regimes under climate changes influences: impacts, ecosystem responses feedbacks’.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Environmental justice analysis of wildfire-related PM2.5 exposure using low-cost sensors in California DOI Creative Commons
Amber L. Kramer, Jonathan Liu, Liqiao Li

et al.

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 856, P. 159218 - 159218

Published: Oct. 5, 2022

The increasing number and severity of wildfires is negatively impacting air quality for millions California residents each year. Community exposure to PM2.5 in two main population centers (San Francisco Bay area Los Angeles County area) was assessed using the low-cost PurpleAir sensor network record-setting 2020 wildfire season. Estimated concentrations study were compared census tract-level environmental justice vulnerability indicators, including environmental, health, demographic data. Higher positively correlated with poverty, cardiovascular emergency department visits, housing inequities. Sensors within 30 km actively burning showed statistically significant increases indoor (~800 %) outdoor (~540 during fires. Results indicate that emissions may exacerbate existing health disparities as well burden pollution disadvantaged communities, suggesting a need improve monitoring adaptive capacity among vulnerable populations.

Language: Английский

Citations

37
Wildfire particulate exposure and risks of preterm birth and low birth weight in the Southwestern United States DOI
Ping Jiang, Yang Li, Mingkun Tong

et al.

Public Health, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 230, P. 81 - 88

Published: March 21, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

8
The geography of social vulnerability and wildfire occurrence (1984–2018) in the conterminous USA DOI
Ronald L. Schumann, Christopher T. Emrich, Van Butsic

et al.

Natural Hazards, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 120(5), P. 4297 - 4327

Published: Jan. 8, 2024

Language: Английский

Citations

6
Relational geographies of urban unsustainability: The entanglement of California’s housing crisis with WUI growth and climate change DOI Creative Commons
Miriam Greenberg, Hillary Angelo, Elena Losada

et al.

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

Published: July 29, 2024

One of California's most pressing social and environmental challenges is the rapid expansion wildlands-urban interface (WUI). Multiple issues associated with WUI growth compared to more dense compact urban form are concern-including greatly increased fire risk, greenhouse gas emissions, fragmentation habitat. However, little understood about factors driving this in first place and, specifically, its relationship urban-regional housing dynamics. This paper connects work science, regional planning, natural sciences highlight potential role crises displacement from core relatively affordable exurbs, this, growth. We analyze California, which leads nation lack housing, scale growth, many hazards, including wildfire. offer three related arguments: first, that crisis, effect migration exurban areas, should be recognized as a significant form-related sustainability challenge; second, understand challenge scholars must expand spatial analytic toolkit both analysis through relational, mixed methods research; third, political programmatic efforts address crisis undergird climate change. Ultimately, we argue expanding access can produce sustainable just mitigates WUI-related impacts reduces vulnerability growing numbers residents living harm's way.

Language: Английский

Citations

6
A burning issue: Reviewing the socio-demographic and environmental justice aspects of the wildfire literature DOI Creative Commons
Alyssa S. Thomas, Francisco J. Escobedo, Matthew R. Sloggy

et al.

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 17(7), P. e0271019 - e0271019

Published: July 28, 2022

Larger and more severe wildfires are becoming frequent impacting different communities human settlements. Much of the scientific literature media on has focused area ecosystems burned numbers structures destroyed. Equally unprecedented, but often less reported, increasing socioeconomic impacts people face from wildfires. Such information seems to indicate an emerging need account for wildfire effects peri-urban or wildland urban interface (WUI) areas, newer socio-demographic groups, disadvantaged communities. To address this, we reviewed dimensions using environmental justice (EJ) lens. Specifically a review wildfires, communities, social vulnerability, homeowner mitigation, conducted bibliometric statistical analyses 299 publications. The majority publications were United States, followed by Canada Australia, most dealt with mitigation risk, defensible space, fuel treatments in WUI areas. Most studied direct related damage. Secondary such as smoke, rural role poverty language studied. Based proposed wildfire-relevant EJ definition, first publication was 2004, term used keyword 2018. Studies statistically decreased likelihood that relevant. There significant relationship between designation inclusion race/ethnicity variables study. Complexity across various definitions suggest it should not be quantitative binary metric; lens better understand socio-ecological diverse We present definition potentially guide policy formulation issues.

Language: Английский

Citations

28
Climate Change: Effects on the Older Adult DOI
Ann Kriebel-Gasparro

The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 18(4), P. 372 - 376

Published: Feb. 18, 2022

Language: Английский

Citations

27
Social vulnerability of the people exposed to wildfires in U.S. West Coast states DOI Creative Commons
Arash Modaresi Rad, John T. Abatzoglou, Erica Fleishman

et al.

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(38)

Published: Sept. 20, 2023

Understanding of the vulnerability populations exposed to wildfires is limited. We used an index from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assess social wildfire 2000-2021 in California, Oregon, Washington, which accounted 90% exposures western United States. The number people fire 2000-2010 2011-2021 increased substantially, with largest increase, nearly 250%, high vulnerability. In Oregon a higher percentage were highly vulnerable (>40%) than California (~8%). Increased burned areas was primary contributor exposure whereas encroachment on Washington. Our results emphasize importance integrating at-risk mitigation adaptation plans.

Language: Английский

Citations

16