NIEHS Researchers Uncover Unknowns of Urban Wildfires

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When wildfires move into urban areas, they burn homes and buildings, releasing toxic chemicals into the environment. Yet little is known about how exposure to urban wildfires affects human health. NIEHS-funded researchers are uncovering the unknowns of urban wildfires to better understand and protect people from these complex exposures.

“We know what chemicals are in smoke from natural forest fires, but we don’t know what chemicals are released when homes and buildings burn in an urban wildfire. These structures can contain synthetic chemicals from cleaning products, insulation materials, particle board, pesticides, electronics, lead paint, and asbestos. As urban wildfires become more frequent, we need to understand what is in this chemical mixture, what new chemicals are formed when structures burn at extremely high temperatures, and how exposures affect health,” said Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Ph.D., who directs the Environmental Health Sciences Core Center at the University of California, Davis and leads the Wildfires and Health - Assessing the Toll on Northwest California (WHAT NOW California) project.

Investigating Unknown Exposures and Health Effects

Funded through the NIEHS Time-Sensitive Research program, WHAT NOW California examines potential physical and mental health effects from the October 2017 Sonoma County fires, which burned more than 5,000 structures. The research team surveyed nearly 6,000 residents about the respiratory and mental health issues they experienced during and in the immediate aftermath of the fires.

When a wildfire nearly eradicated towns like Paradise in November 2018, the team expanded the survey. According to Hertz-Picciotto, wildfire smoke exposed millions of people to some of the worst air pollution ever recorded in the U.S.

“Even people with no prior health conditions reported experiencing cough, wheezing, or an asthma attack. A sizable group was still reporting symptoms six or more months later,” said Hertz-Picciotto. “With further follow-up, we aim to determine whether a short-term exposure to heavy wildfire smoke can have long-lasting impacts on health.”

The researchers are also analyzing air and ash samples from affected communities and collecting urine, hair, and blood from residents to determine the chemicals to which people may have been exposed. “Overall, this study will provide critical information about needs, behaviors, and short- and long-term health effects that will assist health professionals, government agencies, and non-profit and service organizations better prepare for and respond to urban wildfires.”

Training Workers, Building Capacity

Funded by the NIEHS Worker Training Program, the Western Region Universities Consortium (WRUC) trains day laborers and domestic workers in California to protect themselves from the hazards they might encounter during wildfire cleanup in residential settings.

“Homeowners in wildfire-impacted areas hire day laborers and domestic workers soon after the fires subside to clean up ash, soot, and debris – both outside and inside the home,” said Linda Delp, Ph.D., director of the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program at the University of California, Los Angeles and WRUC lead. “While many training efforts focus on first responders and the public, residential day laborers are often overlooked. We’re ensuring these workers understand the risks they may face during cleanup work and measures they can take to protect themselves.”

WRUC emphasizes the importance of partnering with local worker centers to build their training capacity because of the knowledge and trust they have with the day laborers. For example, WRUC works with the Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California (IDEPSCA), a community organization that has been educating and organizing day laborers and domestic workers in Los Angeles since the early 1990s.

“This is a predominantly immigrant, low-wage worker population with limited resources,” said Maegan Ortiz, executive director of IDEPSCA. “It’s important to educate these workers on a range of labor issues, including safety and health protections.”

IDEPSCA outreach teams visit day labor hiring centers, home improvement store parking lots, and street corners in wildfire-impacted areas of Los Angeles County to provide workers with information on hazards related to wildfire cleanup work, as well as protective equipment like disposable respirators.

“We’re pleased to support these critical ground-level efforts to promote safety for all workers impacted by wildfire disasters in our region,” added Delp.

Through these combined efforts, NIEHS-funded researchers are making important discoveries about how urban wildfires may affect health. Sharing this emerging information with residents and workers builds their knowledge of the chemicals they may be exposed to and how to protect themselves from exposures during and after a wildfire.

NIEHS Wildfire Resources and Disaster Preparedness App

The wildfire pocket guide provides workers with an on-site training resource.

The NIEHS Worker Training Program and its awardees created resources to protect the health and safety of those responding to wildfires.

• A Wildfire Response Training Tool helps workers understand the characteristics of wildfires and wildfire response and how to protect themselves from hazards associated with wildfire response, assessment, and cleanup activities.
• A wildfire companion booklet is a pocket guide for workers on-site.
• The NIEHS/CPWR Disaster Preparedness mobile app allows workers to access and download training resources on a variety of disaster-related topics.