Published January 2018 | Version v1
Journal article

The health impacts and economic value of wildland fire episodes in the U.S.: 2008–2012

  • 1. Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 (United States)
  • 2. Sydney South West Area Health Service, New South Wales (Australia)
  • 3. University Center for Rural Health, University of Sydney, New South Wales (Australia)
  • 4. Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania (Australia)
  • 5. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

Description

Highlights: • Wildland fires adversely affect air quality and health in the U.S. • Between 2008 and 2012, fires increased PM2.5 levels in the Northwest and Southeast. • We estimate thousands of premature deaths and illnesses from these episodes. • The economic value of these impacts is in the tens to hundreds of billions of US$. Wildland fires degrade air quality and adversely affect human health. A growing body of epidemiology literature reports increased rates of emergency departments, hospital admissions and premature deaths from wildfire smoke exposure.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.024

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.024;
PII
S0048969717320223;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
610
Journal Page Range
p. 802-809
ISSN
0048-9697
CODEN
STENDL

INIS

Country of Publication
Netherlands
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
54106004
Subject category
S54: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES;
Descriptors DEI
AIR QUALITY; COST; DEATH; EPIDEMIOLOGY; FIRES; HOSPITALS; PUBLIC HEALTH; SMOKES; US EPA
Descriptors DEC
AEROSOLS; BUILDINGS; COLLOIDS; DISPERSIONS; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENTS; NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS; POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCIES; RESIDUES; SOLS; US ORGANIZATIONS

Optional Information

Notes
Published by Elsevier B.V.