Smoke particles from wildfires can cause 4,000 to 9,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. Cornell University reports.
“Smoke and particulate matter from forest fires can pose risks to human health,” said Shuai Pan, one of the authors of the paper. “Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 microns) associated with wildfires is positively associated with mortality and some common respiratory diseases.”
The researchers used satellite data on wildfire emissions and air quality collected from 2012 to 2014, then transferred the data to a new mathematical model and predicted how wildfire smoke could affect human health and the economy.
According to the newspaper, state metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Houston, and Atlanta near fire sources are likely to suffer significant numbers of deaths and major economic damage.
For example, in Los Angeles, which is downwind of the fires in the western United States, 119 people could die a year and the financial burden would be $1.07 billion. Upwind of southern U.S. fires, Atlanta could cause 76 early deaths and cost $690 million each year, while Houston, where an estimated 65 early deaths could be attributed to fire-related particulate matter, could be worth $580 million. 86 premature deaths and $780 million in damage are expected in New York City, which was recently hit by the Quebec wildfire in early June.
As a measure to combat fires, researchers recommend preventive deforestation.
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Source: Gazeta
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