Carleton researcher probes health effects of wildfire smoke

Ottawa Citizen

2 days ago

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The 'Great Smog of London' in December 1952 killed an estimated 4,000 people that month. Researchers have tallied an additional 8,000 deaths in the following two months — although there has been debate about how many of these 'excess' deaths were attributable to influenza.
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'We've spent decades assessing the health effects of air pollution, including sources like traffic,' said Villeneuve.
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Over time, researchers have found that there are important health effects from short day-to-day increases in pollution levels as well as health effects from living in areas of high pollution for years, he said.
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However, wildfire smoke pollution is different from air pollution caused by cars or industry because it's more organic. Exposure to wildfire smoke has been linked to a number of conditions that can prompt a visit to an emergency room or a hospital admission, ranging from anxiety and depression to low-birthweight babies.
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A 2024 UNICEF report found that fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke is up to 10 times more harmful to children's respiratory health compared to particulate matter of the same size from other sources, particularly for children under five. Prenatal exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with low birthweight, premature birth and increased risk of stillbirth, said the report.
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'We would love to expand the study to include younger people and children. Young children, for example, are more susceptible to wildfire smoke because their lungs are still developing,' said Villeneuve.
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Technically, every person in Ontario and B.C. will be captured in the study. But people over 65 are more likely to have at least one chronic condition, and both provinces collect data on provincial drug benefits, which indicates types of chronic conditions.
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According to a study published 2024 by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, more than 80 per cent of older adults reported having at least one chronic condition, and 33 per cent reported having three or more chronic conditions.
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Statistics Canada reported that 45.1 per cent of Canadians had at least one chronic condition in 2021, and 8.3 per cent had three or more conditions ranging from arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, mood disorders and anxiety. The category also included anyone who had ever been diagnosed with cancer or heart disease.