Smoke Exposure from Wildfire: Guidelines for Protecting Community Health and Wellbeing

This article communicates health risks associated with wildfire smoke and recommends actions to reduce exposure and protect health.

Données et ressources

Champ	Valeur
Creator	GNWT - Health and Social Services
Summary	Wildfires in Canada are expected to increase in size, severity and duration as a result of the changing climate. The Northwest Territories (NWT) typically experiences 245 wildfires per year on average affecting some 570,000 hectares each year. Wildfire smoke is increasingly recognized as an important health hazard. Approximately 100 wildfire evacuation events and 21,000 people were evacuated due to smoke in Canada over a 27-year period (1980-2007). This represents 19% of all evacuations and 10% of all evacuees for smoke and fire hazard combined. Public health response must be rapid, effective and informed by the best available evidence.
Local Relevance	This article communicates health risks associated with wildfire smoke and recommends actions to reduce exposure and protect health in the NWT.
Notes
Mots-clés	Air quality,Wildfire,Drought,Health,Hazard,Risk
Geographic Region	NWT
Release Date	2016-05
Last Modified Date	2016-05
Funding Program	GNWT - Health and Social Services