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October 25, 2007
Health Hazards and the California Wildfires
By Taylor Strimple
With destructive fires, such as those in California, health hazards are rampant. On scene responders, firefighters and officials all face health risks other than just smoke inhalation. However, they are not the only ones who need to be careful of the air they breathe. WebMD, CNN and The LA Times all focus on the air quality posing a threat to residents, even those not in close proximity to the fires."Where there is smoke, there are health hazards, experts warn, perhaps even for healthy residents living miles from the fire zones. 'Even as far away as 20 miles, you can see some unhealthy effects of the fire damage,' says Zab Mosenifar, MD, a pulmonologist and director of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Women's Guild Pulmonary Disease Institute in Los Angeles." Read more from WebMD here. "The real concerns are the particles and gases in the smoke. When a fire burns it generates carbon dioxide, water vapor, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and other chemicals. And the wind can carry those particles to areas far from the fires." CNN.com takes a closer look here. The LA Times covers the local angle. "'What we're seeing today is a combination of smoke from the many wildfires, as well as dust that's being kicked up by high winds,' said Sam Atwood, a spokesman for the South Coast Air Quality Management District. 'This is obviously a very large-scale event that is affecting our entire four-county region in air quality.'" Read more here. For more information on how to protect your viewers from the health effects of smoke, visit the California Air Pollution Control Officer's Association website.
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