Thousands die from poor air quality caused by California wildfires
Scientists say as many as 3,000 Californians have died from ailments caused by pollution linked to devastating wildfires that broke out across the state this summer.
(Thick smoke from the LNU Lightning Complex wildfire blankets Vacaville, California on September 9, 2020. File photo by the author.)
A string of deadly and devastating wildfires were directly responsible for the deaths of dozens of people who were either trapped in their cars or homes or were unable to escape fast-moving, often wind-whipped flames that tore through several California communities this summer.
But hundreds — possibly thousands — of other deaths among the state’s most-sensitive populations are almost certainly attributed to lingering wildfire pollution that blanketed much of the region for weeks, according to scientists who have studied the matter.
In September, researchers at Stanford University who tracked fatalities among California seniors between August 1 and September 10 said as many as 3,000 residents died from health conditions that were exacerbated by wildfire smoke particulates.
The estimate was calculated based on a formula that revealed the rise in airborne particulate matter was directly linked to an increase in fatalities among seniors in California and other areas:
Stanford researchers Marshall Burke and Sam Heft-Neal referred to a 2019 study that used Medicare data to show that when levels of particulate pollution spiked in communities around the United States, the death rate of people 65 and over also increased…in the study, scientists at the University of Illinois and Georgia State University found that a 10 percent increase in air pollution — or 1 microgram per cubic meter — over typical PM 2.5 levels corresponded to a 0.7-per-million increase in deaths over three days for those 65 years old and older. [San Francisco Gate]
Based on those measurements, Stanford University researchers found anywhere between 1,200 and 3,000 seniors in California likely died from health emergencies that were triggered by an increase in wildfire smoke. The scientists said a sharp increase in hospital emergency room visits — upwards of 4,800 — was also likely during this same time period. California has more than 6 million seniors over the age of 65.
The death toll is likely to be higher than what Stanford University researchers estimated because their study did not include other vulnerable populations like adults with chronic or pre-existing medical conditions. It also did not include infants and children, which many health professionals include among health sensitive populations.
Some doctors say the ongoing coronavirus health pandemic likely saved people from developing long-term complications from wildfire smoke, since the COVID-19 crisis prevented people from going to work and school, which resulted in more people staying indoors during periods of poor air quality.
Still, researchers are worried by an increasing trend of wildfires in California and elsewhere that have grown in number and intensity. There are concerns that as wildfires become more pervasive, ordinarily healthy people may being to experience medical complications over the long-term.
“There is a fair amount of evidence worldwide that air pollution is a significant factor for early death,” Ed Avol, a professor of clinical medicine, said in a recent television interview. “If you look at the numbers it's one of the top three causes of death worldwide. The fact that we've had these intense smoke episodes and that essentially pushes some susceptible people over the edges is not surprising to me.”
(Photo by the author)
And though the coronavirus health pandemic may have kept some people safe in the initial weeks of the wildfires and its associated smoke events, doctors say health conditions created by wildfire smoke exposure could kill more people who contract COVID-19. That is because wildfire smoke has the potential to damage the lungs, which the coronavirus also targets.
That is particularly concerning because the number of coronavirus infections has sharply increase in recent weeks to the point where state health officials have issued a return to restrictions for 41 California counties, including Solano County and neighboring Yolo County, and issued a new stay-at-home order that bans non-essential assembly and travel during the overnight hours.
There are some promising signs: On Saturday, the state’s fire agency CAL FIRE said it would lift permitted burn bans in Solano County and several other areas as weather conditions eased to the point where officials were less concerned about the start of new wildfires. But thanks to climate change, the wildfire season no longer stops when the hot weather does — officials at every level agree it is now a year-round threat. Federal health experts say any new wildfires that do start and generate a copious amount of air pollution could make people more susceptible to catching the coronavirus.
The Centers for Disease Control continues to urge people to wear masks, maintain social distancing and only travel when necessary. State and local health officials are taking things one step further, urging people to get flu shots — even if they normally don’t — because of an increased possibility that people may be come co-infected with influenza and COVID-19 this year. Already in Solano County, one person — a health professional — has contracted both viruses from a single event, becoming one of the few people in the country to experience a co-infection.
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