RSVP (in-person)
Wildfires have been increasing in frequency and duration in the western U.S. and the wildfire season has been increasing in length such that many regions now claim that there is no wildfire season anymore but that wildfires have become a year-round threat. Wildfire smoke is a growing contributor to the fine particulate air pollution (PM 2.5) that we are exposed to in the US. Wildfire air pollution no longer affects just the western US but increasingly the Midwest and East Coast.
Investigating the health impacts of wildfire smoke are challenging due to lack of sufficient air pollution monitoring across space, the complexity of the components of wildfire smoke that could affect human health, the numerous health outcomes that have been found to be linked to wildfire smoke, and more. While the U.S. has been successful at decreasing PM 2.5 from industrial sources and vehicle emissions under the Clean Air Act, we cannot control wildfire smoke in the ways that we do point and mobile emissions sources.
In her talk, Dr. Reid will dive into her research that investigates how to better assess population exposure to wildfire smoke, how it impacts human health, and which communities are more affected by wildfire smoke. She will also provide a glimpse into her ongoing work to understand the health tradeoffs of interventions to protect health from wildfire smoke.
Co-presented by the UIUC Healthy Regions & Policies Lab
