Health Effects of Climate Change-induced Wildfires and Heatwaves

Michael R Rossiello,Anthony Szema

doi:10.7759/cureus.4771

Abstract

Global warming is a phenomenon that is affecting society in sundry ways. As of 2017, Earth’s global surface temperature increased 0.9°C compared to the average temperature in the mid-1900s. Beyond this change in temperature lies significant threats to human health in the form of natural disasters and extreme temperatures. One natural disaster that has been receiving much more attention as of 2010 is the ignition and spread of wildfires. Warmer climates lead to drier conditions, providing ideal kindling for the rapid spread of these infernos. The dangers that these intense fires pose are twofold: first, the fire causes mass property damage, physical harm, or death to the people unfortunate enough to be caught in the blaze; second, the health hazards of smoke inhalation and the emotional strain of losing one’s possessions cause immense physical and emotional harm to the fire’s victims. Another health hazard that is becoming more common due to global warming is heatwave exposure. The heat provides an ideal environment for certain pathogens to thrive, increases people’s risk of developing temperature-related health conditions, and could exacerbate many preexisting diseases. The increase in frequency and intensity of these extreme weather conditions calls for devotion of resources to fire prevention and public health measures related to smoke inhalation and heat exposure.

Highlights

BackgroundClimate change is a cause for concern among many people
These changes in global temperature can subject people to a greater risk of natural disasters. One such catastrophe that threatens the lives of people all over the world is the ignition of wildfires
Supporting an association between global warming and wildfire frequency, duration, and devastation, a study by Westerling et al found strong correlations between wildfire and hydroclimate in western United States (U.S.) forests, indicating that the increased wildfire activity the West Coast experienced over recent decades reflects sub-regional responses to climate change

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is a cause for concern among many people. According to the Goddard Institute for Space Studies at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Earth’s global surface temperature in 2017 increased by 0.9°C relative to the average temperatures between 1951 and 1980. Supporting an association between global warming and wildfire frequency, duration, and devastation, a study by Westerling et al found strong correlations between wildfire and hydroclimate in western United States (U.S.) forests, indicating that the increased wildfire activity the West Coast experienced over recent decades reflects sub-regional responses to climate change. They discovered that the frequency of wildfires from 1987 to 2003 was almost four times the average of 1970 to 1986, and that the total area burned by these fires was more than six times the previous amount. Over the period of study, 11,000 excess hospitalizations due to extreme heat were observed [12]

Conclusions

Disclosures

Findings

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