While smoke from wildfires is no longer visible, its harmful effects on your heart and lungs might stay for quite a long time.
United States: Wildfire smoke in the air can harm heart and lung health for up to three months after the event, according to a recent study.
Damage caused by particle pollution from wildfires continues to increase the risk of hospitalization for people even after the smoke has dissipated, new research shows.
The Hidden Aftermath of Wildfires
“Exposure to even short-lived fires can have significant effects on people’s health in the long run,” said Yaguang Wei in a news release. Wei is an assistant professor in environmental medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.
Research found that a bigger increase in smoke pollution leads to a greater risk of heart disease, as reported by HealthDay.
States in the Study
Documentation from hospitalization of residents in 15 states between 2006 and 2016 — Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin — was studied by researchers.
In total, researchers counted over 13.7 million hospital stays for heart diseases and nearly 8 million for illnesses of the respiratory system.
It was discovered that exposure to wildfire smoke during the past three months made hospitalization more likely.
Heart Health Takes the Hardest Hit
The team discovered that wildfire smoke contributed the most to health problems related to high blood pressure. Heart disease, stroke, abnormal heart rhythms, pneumonia, COPD, and asthma were also included.
The findings suggest that combating wildfires also benefits community health, researchers noted, as reported by HealthDay.
A Call for Smarter Wildfire Management
“Wildfires can burn for weeks to a month, and smoke (particle pollution) may linger in the air for extended periods, which may keep the air toxic even after a wildfire has ended,” Wei said.
“Current wildfire strategies are outdated and ineffective,” he added. “For example, prescribed fires can reduce wildfire risk but are mainly used to protect property rather than public health. Greater effort should be placed on wildfire management rather than relying solely on traditional air quality control strategies in response to the increasing wildfire activity.”