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

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

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.

Objective

Our research aimed to characterize excess mortality and morbidity events, and the economic value of these impacts, from wildland fire smoke exposure in the U.S. over a multi-year period; to date no other burden assessment has done this.

Methods

We first completed a systematic review of the epidemiologic literature and then performed photochemical air quality modeling for the years 2008 to 2012 in the continental U.S. Finally, we estimated the morbidity, mortality, and economic burden of wildland fires.

Results

SUBMITTER: Fann N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6117838 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature