Editing Wildfire (section)

=== At-risk groups ===

==== Firefighters ====
{{Main|Firefighting}}
Firefighters are at greatest risk for acute and chronic health effects resulting from wildfire smoke exposure. Some of the most common health conditions that firefighters acquire from prolonged smoke inhalation include cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slavik |last2=Chapman |last3=Cohen |last4=Bendefaa |last5=Peters |first=Catherine |first2=Daniel |first3=Alex |first4=Nahla |first5=Ellen |date=December 8, 2024 |title=Clearing the air: evaluating institutions' social media health message on wildfire and smoke risks in the US Pacific Noethwest |url=https://media.proquest.com/media/hms/PFT/1/CB1LX?hl=hazard%252Chazards%252Cwildfire%252Cwildfires%252Chealth%252Chealths&cit%253Aauth=Slavik%252C+Catherine+E%253BChapman%252C+Daniel+A%253BAlex+Segr%C3%A8+Cohen%253BBendefaa%252C+Nahla%253BPeters%252C+Ellen&cit%253Atitle=Clearing+the+air%253A+evaluating+institutions%E2%80%99+social+media+health+...&cit%253Apub=BMC+Public+Health&cit%253Avol=24&cit%253Aiss=&cit%253Apg=1&cit%253Adate=2024&ic=true&cit%253Aprod=ProQuest+Central&_a=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&_s=1P1gw%252BBPmUNk3XFlQzX9rfDUiRA%253D#view=fitH&statusbar=1}}</ref> For example, wildland firefighters can get hypoxia, which is a condition in which the body does not receive enough oxygen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Broyles |first=George |date=October 2013 |title=Wildland Firefighter Smoke Exposure |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/t-d/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf13511803/pdf13511803dpi100.pdf}}</ref> Due to firefighters' occupational duties, they are frequently exposed to [[Chemical hazard|hazardous chemicals]] at close proximity for longer periods of time. A case study on the exposure of wildfire smoke among wildland firefighters shows that firefighters are exposed to significant levels of carbon monoxide and respiratory irritants above [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]]-permissible exposure limits (PEL) and ACGIH threshold limit values (TLV). 5–10% are overexposed.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Booze |first1=Thomas F. |last2=Reinhardt |first2=Timothy E. |last3=Quiring |first3=Sharon J. |last4=Ottmar |first4=Roger D. |title=A Screening-Level Assessment of the Health Risks of Chronic Smoke Exposure for Wildland Firefighters |journal=Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene |date=May 2004 |volume=1 |issue=5 |pages=296–305 |doi=10.1080/15459620490442500 |pmid=15238338 }}</ref> 

Between 2001 and 2012, over 200 [[Occupational fatality|fatalities]] occurred among wildland firefighters. In addition to heat and chemical hazards, firefighters are also at risk for electrocution from power lines; injuries from equipment; [[Occupational injury|slips, trips, and falls]]; injuries from vehicle rollovers; [[Heat illness|heat-related illness]]; [[insect bites and stings]]; [[Occupational stress|stress]]; and [[rhabdomyolysis]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-158/|title=CDC – NIOSH Publications and Products – Wildland Fire Fighting: Hot Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy (2013–158)|website=www.cdc.gov|access-date=22 November 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122154309/http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-158/|archive-date=22 November 2016|doi=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2013158|year=2013|doi-access=free}}</ref> Wildfires that reach urban environments create additional toxic fumes and carcinogenic particles from burning metals, plastics, electronics, paints, and other common materials.<ref name="s261">{{cite web | last=Wittenberg | first=Ariel | title=Los Angeles Firefighters Risk Cancer from Urban Smoke | website=Scientific American | date=2025-01-13 | url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/los-angeles-firefighters-risk-cancer-from-urban-smoke/ | access-date=2025-04-08}}</ref>

==== Residents ====
[[File:North Complex smoke in San Francisco - Bay Bridge and Financial District.jpg|thumb|Smoke from the [[2020 California wildfires]] settles over [[San Francisco]]]]
Residents in communities surrounding wildfires are exposed to lower concentrations of chemicals, but they are at a greater risk for indirect exposure through water or [[soil contamination]]. Exposure to residents is greatly dependent on individual susceptibility. Vulnerable persons such as children (ages 0–4), the elderly (ages 65 and older), smokers, and pregnant women are at an increased risk due to their already compromised body systems, even when the exposures are present at low chemical concentrations and for relatively short exposure periods.<ref name="oehha.ca.gov" /> They are also at risk for future wildfires and may move away to areas they consider less risky.<ref>{{cite news |title=Living under a time bomb |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2018/12/12/feature/living-under-a-time-bomb-california-communities-scramble-to-avoid-becoming-the-next-wildfire-tragedy/?noredirect=on&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1 |access-date=15 December 2018 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |language=en |archive-date=24 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124160550/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2018/12/12/feature/living-under-a-time-bomb-california-communities-scramble-to-avoid-becoming-the-next-wildfire-tragedy/?noredirect=on&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Wildfires affect large numbers of people in Western Canada and the United States. In California alone, more than 350,000 people live in towns and cities in "very high fire hazard severity zones".<ref name="rgj">{{cite news|page=1A |title=A real life gamble: California races to predict which town could be the next victim | author1=Ryan Sabalow |author2=Phillip Reese |author3=Dale Kasler |agency=The Sacramento Bee | publisher=Reno Gazette Journal |work=Destined to Burn}}</ref>

Direct risks to building residents in fire-prone areas can be moderated through design choices such as choosing fire-resistant vegetation, maintaining landscaping to avoid debris accumulation and to create firebreaks, and by selecting fire-retardant roofing materials. Potential compounding issues with poor air quality and heat during warmer months may be addressed with MERV 11 or higher outdoor air filtration in building ventilation systems, mechanical cooling, and a provision of a refuge area with additional air cleaning and cooling, if needed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Design Discussion Primer – Wildfires |url=https://www.bchousing.org/publications/MBAR-Wildfires.pdf |publisher=BC Housing |access-date=16 July 2021 |archive-date=20 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220155847/https://www.bchousing.org/publications/MBAR-Wildfires.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>