Public Health Planning for Wildfire Smoke

Though the health systems of Canada and the United States have many differences, much of the public health knowledge and expertise required to effectively respond to wildfire smoke events is relevant to both. [...] Participants represent many of the same roles as were included in the first project; medical health officers, emergency and health emergency managers and environmental health officers, as they are the key players in responding to and planning for wildfire and smoke events. [...] Increases in the frequency and severity of wildfire events are considered by most health authorities to be related to the effects of climate change and so planning for such events is likely to be considered part of these new roles. [...] Interventions “When you’re telling people that the situation is that the smoke is very harmful to your Assessments health and they should be going Planning for wildfire smoke events was considered by most to to these cleaner air shelters, it be part of climate change adaptation planning, which is in the is less than declaring a state of early stages in most of the regions included in this project. [...] Guidance on the creation of residential and public clean air spaces, the use of N95 masks, personal planning and preparedness in advance of an event were identified as the most immediate and practical interventions that require further development by public health departments and agencies.