Studying Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

For CDPH guidance on preparing for wildfire, visit the Emergency Preparedness Office (EPO) Wildfires webpage. 

The Environmental Health Investigations Branch has studied health impacts related to wildfire smoke exposure. Wildfire smoke contains many air pollutants that are of concern for health, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and ozone. Particulate matter from wildfires has been linked to adverse health outcomes, such as respiratory problems and asthma.  Children, the elderly, and persons with chronic respiratory conditions are especially at risk from wildfire smoke.

Publications and Presentations

New!

The State of California is planning to increase the use of prescribed fires, which are carefully planned fires that reduce risk of large, dangerous wildfires and protect forest health. CDPH worked with Mariposa County Health and Human Services Agency to survey residents about health concerns, what people were doing to protect their health, and attitudes about prescribed fire. The purpose was to learn about their experiences with prescribed fire and wildfire smoke. 

• Responses to Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Smoke: A Survey of a Medically Vulnerable Adult Population in the Wildland-Urban Interface, Mariposa County, California (2023) 

The recent increase in wildfires and smoke has harmed air quality. This paper looks at air pollution and wildfire smoke to understand the health burden from these exposures. It is important to understand how wildfire smoke affects air quality and health, which can help communities prepare and become more resilient.

• Wildfires and the Changing Landscape of Air Pollution-related Health Burden in California (2022)

• Reports on the Public Health Impact of Prescribed Fire (2021)
  
• Brief Report summarizing Listening Sessions in Nevada and El Dorado Counties (PDF)
  
• Full Report (PDF)
  

• Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests and Wildfire-Related Particulate Matter During 2015-2017 California Wildfires
  

• Mortality during a Large-Scale Heat Wave by Place, Demographic Group, Internal and External Causes of Death, and Building Climate Zone
  

• A simple method for estimating excess mortality due to heat waves, as applied to the 2006 California heat wave
  

• The San Diego 2007 wildfires and Medi-Cal emergency department presentations, inpatient hospitalizations, and outpatient visits: An observational study of smoke exposure periods and a bidirectional case-crossover analysis. (2018)

• Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Emergency Department Visits Associated With Wildfire Smoke Exposure in California in 2015. (2018)
  

• Development of Methods to Connect Exposure to Wildland Fire Particulate Emissions to Health Outcomes: A Case Study from San Diego County. (2015|PDF)

CDPH Resources

Protect Yourself and Your Home During Wildfire (EPO webpage)

Wildfire Smoke: Considerations for California's Public Health Officials (2022|PDF)

External Resources