Tiny plastic particles may boost risk from major diseases – study

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

 

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HUMAN EXPOSURE RATES ARE DETERMINED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL FATE AND TRANSPORT OF MNPS THAT CONTROL THE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION SOURCES AND HUMAN EXPOSURES (BOTTOM). TOGETHER, THESE DYNAMIC EXPOSURE CONTROLS DETERMINE THE COMBINED UPTAKE OF MNPS AND THEIR ADDITIVES THAT MAY INFLUENCE THE RISK AND/OR SEVERITY OF NCDS. THE TEXT BOXES PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLE EXPOSURE RANGES ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT MNP SOURCES.

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CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

People may be at increased risk from cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease – as rising global levels of micro- and nanoplastics (MnPs) are absorbed into the human body, a new study reveals.

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as these are linked to inflammatory conditions in the body’s organs, with the tiny particles increasing the uptake of MnPs and their leachates within digestive and respiratory systems – potentially boosting the risk and severity of NCDs in the future.

And MnP concentrations in infant faecal matter are significantly higher than in adults – possibly because plastic is commonly used in infant food preparation, presentation, and storage. Young children’s behaviour such as putting objects in their mouth may also account for this.

Publishing their findings in Cell Reports Medicine, an international group of researchers is now calling for a global integrated One Health approach to human health and environmental research that will reveal the environmental mechanisms that lie behind the rise in human MnP exposure and the particles links with NCDs.

Lead author Professor Stefan Krause, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “Plastic pollution has increased globally – making it critical that we understand the overall health risks associated with MnP exposure.

“We must tackle this pollution at its source to reduce further emissions, as the global dispersal of MnPs that has already happened will remain a cause of concern for centuries to come. For this, we need a systematic investigation into the environmental drivers of human MnP exposure and their impacts on the prevalence and severity of the main NCD groups of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic lung disease.”

The researchers highlight that the relationship between MnPs and NCDs resembles those of other particles, including natural sources such as pollen or human-made pollutants like diesel exhaust, and MnPs, and engineered nanomaterials, all acting in a similar biological manner. The body treats these as foreign entities triggering the same protective mechanisms – presenting a risk of bodily defences becoming overwhelmed and boosting the frequency and severity of NCDs.

The incidence of NCDs is increasing across the world with the four main types collectively responsible for 71% of all global deaths annually and creating a predicted economic impact of more than $30 trillion over the next two decades.

Co-author Semira Manaseki-Holland, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “We must better understand how MnPs and NCDs interact, if we are to progress global prevention and treatment efforts toward the UN Sustainable Development Goal on reducing premature mortality from NCDs and other conditions where inflammation are concerned through by 2030.

“This need is critical in low- and low-middle-income countries (LMICs) where NCD prevalence is rising, and plastic pollution levels and exposures are high. Whether we encounter them indoors or outdoors, MnPs are likely adding to global health risks.”

Global pollution trends show that micro- (smaller than 5 mm) and nanoplastic (smaller than 1 µm) particles are now found everywhere. MnPs have been detected in lungs, blood, breast milk, placenta, and stool samples confirming that the particles enter the human body from the environment.

Humans are exposed to MnPs in outdoor and indoor environments through food stuffs, drinks consumption, air and many other sources including cosmetics and human care products.

MnPs have been found in fish, salt, beer, and plastic bottled drinks or air, where they are released from synthetic clothing materials, plastic fabric bedding during sleep, plastic carpet or furniture. Other sources can include fertiliser, soil, irrigation, and uptake into food crops or produce.

Human exposure to MnPs varies significantly depending on location and exposure mechanism, with evidence of MnP pollution hotspots in indoor air containing up to 50 times the number of particles encountered outdoors.

Co-author Professor Iseult Lynch, from the University of Birmingham, commented: “We must understand the human health risks associated with MnPs and to do this, we will need to understand the environmental controls of individual exposures. This will require environmental and medical scientists to work very closely together.”

ENDS

Hypothesized uptake mechanisms of MnPs through human body 

(A) Hypothesized uptake mechanisms of MnPs through human biological barriers, including via (B) the olfactory bulb, (C) the lung-air barrier, and (D) the gastrointestinal tract, indicating also the systems and organs directly affected by MnPs and the associated MnP impacts and suspected adverse health out comes including NCDs. The suspected particle-size fractionation caused by differences in the uptake mechanisms (A–D) is highlighted in (E), with larger particles being ingested (up to 130 mm) rather than inhaled (less than 2.5 mm) and only the smallest (nanoscale) particles being able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. MnP internalized by routes (C) and (D) reach the wider circulatory system and from there can reach all organs.

CREDIT

University of Birmingham

Infographic details

• Figure 1. Environmental exposure routes, transport, and sources of MnPs Environmental exposure routes and sources of MnPs in indoor (top) and outdoor environments (middle). Human exposure rates are determined by the environmental fate and transport of MnPs that control the connectivity between spatially and temporally dynamic environmental pollution sources and human exposures (bottom). Together, these dynamic exposure controls determine the combined uptake of MnPs and their additives that may influence the risk and/or severity of NCDs. The text boxes provide some example exposure ranges associated with different MnP sources.
• Figure 2. Hypothesized uptake mechanisms of MnPs through human body (A–D) (A) Hypothesized uptake mechanisms of MnPs through human biological barriers, including via (B) the olfactory bulb, (C) the lung-air barrier, and (D) the gastrointestinal tract, indicating also the systems and organs directly affected by MnPs and the associated MnP impacts and suspected adverse health out comes including NCDs. The suspected particle-size fractionation caused by differences in the uptake mechanisms (A–D) is highlighted in (E), with larger particles being ingested (up to 130 mm) rather than inhaled (less than 2.5 mm) and only the smallest (nanoscale) particles being able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. MnP internalized by routes (C) and (D) reach the wider circulatory system and from there can reach all organs.

Notes to Editors

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions, its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers and teachers and more than 8,000 international students from over 150 countries. Discover Birmingham.
• ‘The potential of micro- and nanoplastics to exacerbate the health impacts and global burden of non-communicable diseases’ - Stefan Krause, Valerie Ouellet, Deonie Allen, Steven Allen, Kerry Moss, Holly A. Nel, Semira Manaseki-Holland, and Iseult Lynch is published by Cell Reports Medicine.
• Participating institutions:

• University of Birmingham, UK
• Universite´ Claude Bernard, Lyon, France
• University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
• Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Orono, USA
• Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
• Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK
• Center for Environment, Fisheries & Agriculture Science, Lowestoft, UK

 

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JOURNAL

Cell Reports Medicine

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

The potential of micro- and nanoplastics to exacerbate the health impacts and global burden of non-communicable diseases

Air pollution linked to nearly 2,000 child deaths a day: report

2000 X 365 = 730,000

Agence France-Presse
June 19, 2024 

Air pollution contributed to the deaths of more than 700,000 children under the age of five in 2021, the report found (Sajjad HUSSAIN/AFP)

Nearly 2,000 children die every day from health problems linked to air pollution, which is now the second biggest risk factor for early death worldwide, a report said Wednesday.

Exposure to air pollution contributed to the deaths of 8.1 million people -- around 12 percent of all fatalities -- in 2021, according to the report from the US-based Health Effects Institute.

This means air pollution has overtaken tobacco use and poor diet to become the second leading risk factor for early death, behind only high blood pressure, it said.

Little kids are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, and the institute partnered with the UN Children's Fund UNICEF for its annual State of Global Air report.

Air pollution contributed to the deaths of more than 700,000 children under the age of five, the report found.

More than 500,000 of those deaths were attributed to cooking indoors using dirty fuels such as coal, wood or dung, mostly in Africa and Asia.

"These are problems we know that we can solve," Pallavi Pant, the Health Effects Institute's head of global health, told AFP.

- 'Profound effects on next generation' -

Nearly every person in the world breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution every day, the report found.

Over 90 percent of the deaths were linked to tiny airborne pollutants called PM2.5, which measure 2.5 micrometers or less, it said.

Inhaling PM2.5 has been found to increase the risk of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and a range of other health problems.

The report aimed to link the rates of such diseases with air pollution levels.

But despite the "pretty stark" figures, the report could still be underestimating air pollution's impact, Pant said.

It did not take into account how air pollution could affect brain health, neurodegenerative diseases or what impact using solid fuels for heating could have, she explained.

The report also found that ozone pollution -- which is expected to get worse as the world warms due to human-driven climate change -- was linked to nearly 500,000 deaths in 2021.

"Increasingly, many parts of the world are seeing very short, intense episodes of air pollution," during events such as wildfires, dust storms or extreme heat, which can drive up ozone levels, Pant said.

There are "very similar solutions" for both climate change and air pollution -- particularly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, she added.

More can also be done about using dirty solid fuels for cooking indoors, Pant said, pointing to how China had made significant improvements in this area.

More than two billion people cook on basic stoves or over open fires indoors, inhaling the harmful smoke.

Partly due to access to cleaner cookstoves, the rate of small children dying from problems linked to air pollution has fallen by more than 50 percent since 2000, the report said.

In May, the International Energy Agency announced that $2.2 billion had been pledged by governments and companies to improve access to less deadly cooking methods.


The report released Wednesday used data covering more than 200 countries and territories from the Global Burden of Disease study conducted by the US-based Institute For Health Metrics and Evaluation.

"Every day almost 2,000 children under five years die because of health impacts linked to air pollution," UNICEF's Kitty van der Heijden said in a statement.

"Our inaction is having profound effects on the next generation."

California voted to ban new diesel trucks at ports. Why did L.A. and Long Beach just add 1,000 more?

Tony Briscoe
Thu, June 13, 2024 at 4:00 AM MDT·7 min read

California is waiting for the EPA approve a rule that would hasten the electrification of cargo trucks at seaports. Meanwhile, diesel-powered big rigs continue to be granted access to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, seen here. 

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)


More than 1,000 diesel-powered cargo trucks — which should've been banned from serving California ports — were granted access to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach due to inaction from the Biden administration, according to harbor records.

In April 2023, the California Air Resources Board voted to ban fossil fuel-powered big rigs from obtaining new registrations to serve the state's 12 major seaports, a landmark rule that was slated to go into effect on Jan. 1.

But one year later, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not granted a waiver for California's so-called Advanced Clean Fleets rule. As a result, state air regulators have been unable to enforce the regulation, which has allowed trucking companies and independent operators to continue adding diesel-snorting big rigs that can pollute port communities for up to a decade.

Since the start of the year, more than 1,200 trucks have obtained new registrations to move cargo at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to data obtained by the Los Angeles Times. About 92% of the newly registered trucks had diesel-powered engines, which are known to emit cancer-causing particles and planet-warming carbon emissions.

The Advanced Clean Fleets rule is one of eight clean-air policies that California regulators are still waiting for the Biden administration to sign off on. Collectively, these rules were expected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths and provide $116 billion in health benefits over the next three decades, according to the American Lung Assn.

But that assumed the rules would be implemented on time.

Seven of the eight pending policies should've already gone into effect. The federal inaction has resulted in delays in adopting zero-emission technologies or reducing emissions for trucks, boats, trains, construction machinery and lawn equipment. And the deferred policy implementation could have national implications, as several other states have expressed interest in adopting California's more stringent rules rather than the EPA's.

Heading into an unpredictable election year when the presidency and both chambers of Congress are up for grabs, environmental advocates want to see these rules prioritized.

"Any further delay in the waiver process really does risk that we're going to see more diesel trucks on the roads or working at the ports," said Will Barrett, national senior director of clean air policy with the American Lung Assn. "We're also going to see more gasoline-powered equipment like leaf blowers and lawnmowers when those sales should have been stopped. The transition to zero-emission technology in these sectors is delayed, and because of that, we're concerned that we're just going to see this equipment live on, putting out more pollution for longer than it should have."

The EPA declined to comment on the addition of more diesel trucks at Southern California ports and the pending Advanced Clean Fleets waiver.

Environmental experts say the Biden administration has been tied up with its own jam-packed federal environmental agenda, which may have slowed the review process for California's rules. In the past year, the EPA has approved new rules for cars, heavy-duty trucks, new coal- and gas-fired power plants and methane-leaking oil wells.

Those federal rules are expected to have little bearing in California, where state regulations are already more strict.

Due to its notoriously poor air quality, California holds the distinction as the only state that can regulate vehicle emissions, so long as it obtains permission from the EPA. The state has used these powers to adopt groundbreaking rules, such as requiring cars to be outfitted with catalytic converters and check engine lights.

"That's the dance that's been going on since the mid-1960s," said Ann Carlson, a UCLA environmental law professor and former transportation czar with the Biden administration. "California leads, in part, because EPA grants its waiver. Then California pushes the rest of the country."

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state rulemakers touted news that the sale of new zero-emission trucks had doubled in 2023 compared with the prior year, putting the state two years ahead of its goals. This mostly resulted from the sales of thousands of medium-duty pickup trucks, such as Ford's F-150 Lightning and Rivian's R1 lineup.

Zero-emission big rigs remain a small fraction of sales and existing fleets serving state ports.

All those cargo containers that come into the Port of L.A., seen here in March, have to go somewhere. For now, most will be aboard diesel-powered big rigs. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Asked about the outstanding Advanced Clean Fleets rule, state officials were optimistic the Biden administration would take action.

"We're of course eagerly awaiting the U.S. EPA to grant our waiver, and we expect them to take action very soon," said Steven Cliff, executive director of the California Air Resources Board.

"We're seeing 1 in 6 new trucks sold is zero emissions," Cliff added, "and going forward, that's going to benefit Californians, especially those who live near ports who have been most impacted by pollution."

Nearly 23,000 cargo trucks are registered with the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere. About 94% of those are diesel trucks, and another 5% burn natural gas. One percent are zero-emission: 271 cargo trucks are battery-electric, and nine are hydrogen fuel-cell.

The Port of Los Angeles announced last year that it had reduced diesel particulate matter by 88% since 2005, due, in part, to better controls for ships and cleaner truck engines.

Read more: Los Angeles makes progress but earns 25th-straight F in air quality

The Advanced Clean Fleets rule was expected to rapidly accelerate zero-emission adoption, starting with the 2024 ban on fossil-fuel truck registrations. In the year leading up to that deadline, trucking companies went on a buying spree, according to public records.

More than 9,000 trucks obtained new registrations at both ports in 2023 — almost triple the amount registered in 2018. The vast majority of these trucks had diesel-powered engines.

The registration of diesel trucks continued into the first half of 2024. More than 1,100 diesel trucks were registered at the ports so far this year. Seventy-six electric trucks and 19 hydrogen trucks received approval to move cargo in the same time.

Many truck drivers serving the ports are independent owner-operators, running their own small businesses with their big rigs instead of working for a large company with a fleet. They have expressed concerns about the high upfront costs of purchasing electric trucks, which are significantly more expensive than diesel-powered models.

Mercer Transportation Co., an owner-operator transportation company, registered the most trucks so far in 2024, enrolling 131 diesel trucks at both ports, including several with engines over a decade old. Performance Team Freight Systems Inc., a Santa Fe Springs-based company, introduced the most zero-emission vehicles, with 23 electric trucks.

Read more: Amazon and Volvo team up on big rig electric trucks, rolling out of Southern California ports

Under the fleets rule, the existing fleet of diesel and gas trucks would be allowed to visit the ports until they reached 18 years old or a maximum of 800,000 miles traveled. Trucks that exceed 800,000 miles driven can operate for only 13 years.

Agmark Transportation registered a diesel truck with an engine from the year 2000, which would not have been allowed if the EPA had granted California's waiver.

The delayed rule would also prevent any fossil-fuel truck from moving cargo at the ports in 2035. But environmental advocates would still like to know how the state plans to offset any unintended pollution and carbon emissions resulting from late implementation.

"What we fully expect and strongly endorse is, when these waivers are signed and official, anything that has been done to increase pollution beyond what was designed in these programs really needs to be addressed quickly," said Barrett, of the American Lung Assn. "If that's the addition of hundreds of diesel trucks into the port drayage fleet, we would call on our state agencies to look at those and see what they can do to get those out of the fleet as quickly as possible."

NTU Singapore-led study estimates that between 1980 and 2020, 135 million premature deaths could be linked to fine particulate matter pollution

 NEWS RELEASE 10-JUN-2024

NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

 

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(L-R): DIRECTOR OF EARTH OBSERVATORY OF SINGAPORE (EOS) AND PROFESSOR IN EARTH SCIENCE AT NTU’S ASIAN SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT (ASE) PROFESSOR BENJAMIN HORTON, NTU’S ASE AND LKCMEDICINE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR STEVE YIM, WHO IS ALSO PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR AT NTU’S EOS, AND NTU’S SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT (HEALTH AND LIFE SCIENCES) AND DEAN OF NTU’S KONG CHIAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (LKCMEDICINE) DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR JOSEPH SUNG, PRESENTING A PAIR OF PLASTINATED HUMAN LUNGS.

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CREDIT: NTU SINGAPORE

A study led by researchers from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) revealed that fine particulate matter from 1980 to 2020 was associated with approximately 135 million premature deaths globally.

 

In the study, premature deaths refer to fatalities that occur earlier than expected based on average life expectancy, resulting from preventable or treatable causes such as diseases or environmental factors.

 

The study found that the impact of pollution from fine particulate matter was worsened by climate variability phenomena such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the North Atlantic Oscillation, and led to a 14 per cent rise in premature deaths.

 

The researchers explain that during such weather events, the increased temperature, changes in wind patterns, and reduced precipitation can lead to stagnant air conditions and the accumulation of pollutants in the atmosphere. These result in higher concentrations of PM2.5 particles that are particularly harmful to human health when inhaled.

 

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, refers to particulate matter 2.5 micrometres in diameter or smaller. These tiny particles come from vehicle emissions, industrial processes, and natural sources such as wildfires and dust storms.

 

As they are so small, PM2.5 particles can easily get into the air we breathe and penetrate deep into our lungs, leading to a range of health problems, especially for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions.

 

The study estimated that a third of the premature deaths from 1980 to 2020 were associated with stroke (33.3 per cent); another third with ischemic heart disease (32.7 per cent), while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lower respiratory infections, and lung cancer made up the rest of premature deaths.

 

To understand how PM2.5 pollution affects mortality rates, the researchers studied satellite data from NASA on the levels of fine particulate matter in the Earth's atmosphere. They also analysed statistics on the incidence and mortality of diseases linked to pollution from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, based in the US. Additionally, they considered information on climate patterns from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

While previous studies have explored aspects of air quality and climate, this study had a global scope and analysed over 40 years of data. By examining how specific climate patterns affect air pollution in different regions, it offers fresh insights into the complex relationship between climate and air quality.

 

First author of the study, Associate Professor Steve Yim of NTU’s Asian School of the Environment and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), who led the study, said: “Our findings show that changes in climate patterns can make air pollution worse. When certain climate events happen, like El Niño, pollution levels can go up, which means more people might die prematurely because of PM2.5 pollution. This highlights the need to understand and account for these climate patterns when tackling air pollution to protect the health of the global population.” Assoc Prof Yim is also a Principal Investigator at NTU’s Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS).

 

Study co-author Distinguished University Professor Joseph Sung, NTU’s Senior Vice President (Health and Life Sciences), and Dean of NTU’s LKCMedicine, said: “Our study highlights how climate patterns affect air pollution, and this is crucial for healthcare professionals because it directly impacts public health. The effects of climate change and the environment on human health are not lesser than those of genomics and lifestyle patterns, and they have been increasing over the past decades. By recognising these patterns, healthcare providers can better prepare for potential increases in patients seeking treatment for pollution-related ailments. Additionally, this knowledge underscores the importance of proactive measures to reduce pollution and mitigate its health impacts, ultimately helping healthcare systems manage and alleviate the burden of pollution-related illnesses on communities.”

 

The findings from this study, which represents an advance in understanding how environmental challenges affect the health of the global population, reflect NTU's commitment to responding to the needs and challenges of healthy living and ageing, one of humanity’s grand challenges that the University seeks to address through its NTU 2025 strategic plan.

 

The study is also part of NTU’s S$50 million interdisciplinary climate research programme, the Climate Transformation Programme (CTP). Hosted by EOS and funded by Singapore’s Ministry of Education, the CTP aims to investigate climate change, develop, inspire, and accelerate knowledge-based solutions, and educate future leaders to establish the stable climate and environment necessary for a resilient and sustainable Southeast Asia.

 

Co-author of the study Professor Benjamin Horton, Director of Earth Observatory of Singapore, said: "Our study aligns seamlessly with NTU Singapore's ambitious Climate Transformation Programme (CTP), which aims to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change through interdisciplinary research and collaboration. By investigating the intricate relationship between weather patterns and deadly air pollution, we contribute valuable insights that will inform evidence-based solutions and policies to safeguard public health and promote environmental resilience in Southeast Asia and beyond.” Prof Horton is also Professor in Earth Science at NTU’s Asian School of the Environment.

 

This study was also funded by several awards and a grant from the Ministry of Education, Singapore. It is also part of The Prudential EOS Climate Impacts Initiative, for which Prudential Services Singapore funded NTU’s EOS to conduct a two-year, two-phase study to understand better the impacts of climate change on air quality and its associated health impacts.

 

The study also saw participation from NTU President's Chair in Genomics Professor Stephan Schuster, who is also Deputy Director at the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE). Healthcare professionals and researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London, UK, Sun Yat-sen University, China, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore were also involved. The findings were published in April in the peer-reviewed journal Environment International.

 

 

Assessing the interplay between climate phenomena, pollution, and deaths

 

This study used data from a dataset managed by NASA called MERRA-2 (Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2). The dataset provides monthly information about the concentration of fine particulate matter on the Earth's surface.

 

The PM2.5 data analysed for this 40-year study spans from January 1980 to December 2020 and gives detailed information about air pollution levels in specific areas.

 

The study looked at how changes in air quality are affected by climate patterns, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole, and North Atlantic Oscillation weather patterns, obtained from indices assessed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

The researchers also used data from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation based in the United States on global deaths and occurrences of pollution-linked diseases, which include lower respiratory infections, tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and ischemic heart disease.

 

The researchers found that 363 major air pollution episodes happened worldwide over the past four decades, with an average of nine episodes yearly. The duration of an air pollution episode ranged from two to nine months, with 2002 being the year with the highest number of air pollution episodes (15 episodes), followed by 2004 and 2006 (14 episodes each year).

 

The study estimated that Asia had the highest number of premature deaths attributable to PM2.5 pollution between 1980 and 2020, at 98.1 million, with China and India reaching 49.0 million and 26.1 million deaths, respectively. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Japan also had significant numbers of PM2.5-attributable premature deaths, ranging from 2 to 5 million each.

 

The researchers estimate that the three weather phenomena simultaneously caused approximately 7,000 more global premature deaths annually, with the Indian Ocean Dipole phenomena having the largest impact on the number of deaths, followed by North Atlantic Oscillation, and then El Niño.

 

All three weather patterns coincided in 1994, 1997, 2002, and 2015, with the Southeast Asian region being the most vulnerable. Around 3,100 more deaths occurred in that region each year due to the higher impact of pollution worsened by the weather patterns.

 

Assoc Prof Yim added: “This study underscores the importance of prioritising public health when developing air quality strategies. Instead of solely focusing on pollutant levels, governments should also consider the health effects of air pollution. This means evaluating policies based on their impact on reducing pollution-related health issues, especially highlighting the need for targeted interventions to mitigate pollution during specific weather conditions.”

 

Prof Sung added: “As our study has shown that PM2.5 pollution could have significant health consequences, health agencies need to allocate resources accordingly. This includes ensuring that healthcare services are equipped to handle the demands related to PM2.5 pollution-related illnesses. By emphasising health outcomes in air quality management, governments can better protect public health and improve overall well-being."

 

The team of researchers will be conducting more detailed studies for a deeper understanding of local air pollution patterns and further detailing the mechanisms behind how climate patterns influence the formation and reduction of PM2.5.

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JOURNAL

Environment International

DOI

10.1016/j.envint.2024.108578 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

ARTICLE TITLE

Global health impacts of ambient fine particulate pollution associated with climate variability

Deadly Heat in a Political Jungle

by Robert Hunziker / May 27th, 2024

World heat is worse than ever. The entire planet is sweating.

Every summer is hot but never like this. In America, it’s a national election year in the face of global record heat. What are candidates’ positions on CO2-infused heat?

Graph by Brian Brettschneider, PhD, Climatologist

It’s extremely significant that global heat is just as bad in the world’s oceans, which have absorbed 85-90% of planetary heat, serving as a heat reservoir for decades. But now, the oceans are starting to strut their hot stuff. According to Copernicus, April was the 13th month in a row that global sea surface temperatures between 60 degrees latitude south and 60 degrees latitude north have been the warmest on record for the month. Astoundingly, nearly 30% of the world’s oceans were above 28C (82.4°F) too hot for a bath, in April 2024, setting a record. Both the Mediterranean and Black Seas also had sharp upward trends for the month. Has civilization lost its ocean heat cushion?

Consequently, heat deaths are on the rise and look to escalate, by a lot, and soon. This is a worldwide crisis like none other. It requires world leadership to do something, soon, like the day before yesterday. But, how soon and will it be enough and who’s willing?

According to World Weather Attribution d/d May 14^, 2024: Consistent sweltering temperatures well above 40C (104F) are creating havoc from Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria in the West to Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines in the East, and even though  heat-related death tolls are typically underreported, hundreds of heat-related deaths have been reported, schools have been closed, and citizens warned to stay indoors.

Moreover, two studies by World Weather Attribution (WWA) “found that human-induced climate change influenced the events, making them around 30 times more likely and much hotter.”

Heat knows no borders. According to WLRN South Florida d/d May 23, 2024: “Heat Dome Leads to Sweltering Temperatures in Mexico, Central America, and US South”: “This extreme heat is occurring in a world that is quickly warming due to greenhouse gases, which come from the burning of fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal.” For example, Miami International Airport is running 10°F hotter than normal at 96°F.

Mexico City is nearly a war zone scenario with record high temperatures which, combined with pollution, leads to multiple city-wide protests, including by police: “A group of police agents blocked six lanes of traffic Wednesday on a main Mexico City avenue, saying their barracks lacked water for a week and the bathrooms were unusable. ” (Ibid.) Water has been trucked for hospitals and to firefighting teams. Numerous birds and animals in the wild of Mexico have dropped dead on the spot.

All Central America is exposed to the same horrendous moist heat. And people wonder why they migrate North.

Yale Climate Connections d/d April 29, 2024 listed some global warming samplers (1) corals are bleaching in every corner of the ocean, threatening its web of life (2) extreme drought in southern Africa leaves millions hungry (3) West African heat wave: high humidity made 40°C feel like 50°C, which is a killer (4) discomfort may increase: Asia’s heat wave scorches hundreds of millions (5) record heat in Europe, Asia closes another extremely warm month for the planet (6) Europe unprepared for rapidly growing climate risks, report finds (7) China breaks heat records as sweltering weather baked cities from north to south.

“The era of global boiling has arrived,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned. “Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning.” (Source: Climate Action, World Economic Forum, August 4, 2023.)

António Guterres “nailed it” nine months ago. Meanwhile, at some point in time soon, the major nations of the world will hit panic buttons and go all-in supplanting fossil fuels with renewables as quickly as possible. They’ll be forced to do this. After all, when police protest in the streets, as in Mexico City, who’s left to patrol?

It’s a national election year in America, and climate change should be a major political issue as the heat is on for the whole world to see like never before, and it will get worse, as stated by the UN secretary-general. What’s the political landscape in America? According to the mainstream publication Yahoo! Finance d/d Feb. 15, 2024: “MAGA Republicans Have a 920-Page Plan to Make Climate Change Worse.” Isn’t that just great!

Here’s the opening paragraph of Yahoo! Finance’s write-up: “When former President Donald Trump exited the Oval Office in January 2021, he left behind a record of environmental rollbacks unrivaled in US history. Over his 1,461 days as commander-in-chief, Trump replaced, eliminated, or otherwise dismantled more than 100 environmental rules – at least — from repealing the Clean Air Act to allowing coal plants to dump toxic wastewater into lakes and rivers to declaring open season on endangered gray wolves.” Several of the hatcheted rules were from Richard Nixon’s administration.

Subsequently, the Biden administration rolled back a lot of Trump’s hatchet job.

“Had all Trump’s policies gone into effect, the nonpartisan Rhodium Group estimated at the end of 2020, they would have added an additional 1.8 gigatons of CO2-equivalent to the atmosphere by 2035 – more than the annual energy emissions of Germany, Britain, and Canada combined. But even though we never felt the full brunt of them, the medical journal The Lancet estimated that the policies undertaken during his presidency were responsible for 22,000 deaths in 2019 alone due to sharp increases in things like asthma, heart disease, and lung cancer.” (Ibid.)

Project 2025 is the Heritage Foundation’s roadmap for MAGA Republicans going forward: “The plan’s proposals include eviscerating existing climate programs and increasing reliance on fossil fuels. It emphatically repudiates efforts to decarbonize the economy and is a wholesale reversal of the progress made on climate policy over recent years.” (Source: “Project 2025 Tells us What a Second Trump Term Could Mean for Climate Policy. It Isn’t Pretty“, WBUR nonprofit news org, March 27, 2024.)

Well, that’s great to know, but here’s the real issue: “Much of the voting public is disturbingly unaware of both Biden’s climate record and the assault that Project 2025 would marshal against it.” (Ibid.)

Make America Great Again. Really?

Robert Hunziker (MA, economic history, DePaul University) is a freelance writer and environmental journalist whose articles have been translated into foreign languages and appeared in over 50 journals, magazines, and sites worldwide. He can be contacted at: rlhunziker@gmail.com. Read other articles by Robert.

Why does Canada have so many wildfires?

Ahmad Mukhtar
Updated Wed, May 15, 2024 

Toronto — Wildfire season has arrived in full force in Western Canada, prompting evacuation orders and alerts in several towns in British Columbia and neighboring Alberta due to the danger of uncontrolled blazes. According to the BC administration's latest wildfire situation report, seven evacuation orders and five alerts had been issued in the province since Friday, driving about 4,700 residents from their homes.

"The situation is evolving rapidly," British Columbia's emergency management minister Bowninn Ma warned Monday, as officials said there were 130 active wildfires burning, 14 of them deemed out of control.

Thousands more people got evacuation orders Tuesday as strong winds pushed a raging fire closer to the oil-rich town of Fort McMurray, in Alberta province. Josee St-Onge, a spokesperson for the Alberta wildfire service, said that due to the intensity of the blaze, firefighting crews were pulled back from the front line Tuesday for safety reasons.

"We are seeing extreme fire behavior. Smoke columns are developing, and the skies are covered in smoke," St-Onge said at a news conference.

The 2023 wildfire season in Canada was the worst on record, with 6,551 fires scorching nearly 46 million acres, from the West Coast to the Atlantic provinces and the far north. The impact on the environment, particularly air quality, in both Canada and the United States was profound. As predicted, 2024 is shaping up to be another devastating wildfire season, and disaster and climate experts have a pretty good idea of why.

Most of the fires now ravaging Canada have actually been burning since last fire season, having smoldered slowly during the winter under the snowpack.

Scientists say these blazes, sometimes called zombie fires, are a stark reminder of the impact of climate change. Studies have linked the overwinter fires to ongoing drought conditions amid the increasingly hot, dry springs Canada has experienced in recent years. Scientists say less precipitation and warmer winter temperatures mean fires can keep burning in the dense layers of vegetation under the snowpack.

Sonja Leverkus, an ecosystem scientist in British Columbia who also works as a firefighter, told CBS News on Monday that the northeast of the Canadian province has so many wildfires at the moment "because we are in a severe drought for a third year in a row."

She said the parched conditions were likely to make things worse before they get any better.

Leverkus has been on the front line of the battle against fires in her hometown of Fort Nelson, where she and her teammates and their communities are currently under evacuation orders.

The Parker Lake wildfire glows in an aerial photograph taken by a British Columbia Emergency Health Services crew member through the window of an airplane evacuating patients from nearby Fort Nelson, May 10, 2024. / Credit: Andrei Axenov/BCEHS

"Many of the current fires this week were 2023 wildfires that overwintered below ground," she said. "We are heavy into spring, with low relative humidity, high wind, heat, and zero precipitation. Hence, wildfires."

Wildfire expert Ben Boghean, commenting this week on the blaze currently threatening the Parker Lake community in British Columbia, said Sunday that last year's severe drought conditions have enabled fires to spread at dizzying rates this spring, and due to the below-normal snowpack new fires are also erupting more easily.


Can wildfire smoke make you sick? How to stay safe amid air quality alerts, wildfire evacuations in Canada

With parts of Canada and the U.S. under air quality warnings, here's what to know about staying indoors, wearing a mask, and more tips to stay safe.

Karla Renic
·Lifestyle Editor
Updated Tue, May 14, 2024 

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.

Dangers of wildfire smoke inhalation are making headlines again as fires rage across Canada. On May 11, 2024, the Aurora Borealis was seen shining overhead of a B.C. Conservation Officer Service vehicle as a wildfire burns in the background near Fort Nelson, B.C. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship)More

Wildfires are raging again across Canada, with around 90 fires currently burning and smokey conditions affecting western provinces. The situation has led to hazardous air quality conditions in Canada, extending into the United States for the first time this season.

In northeastern British Columbia, the Parker Lake Fire tripled in size over the weekend and has gotten closer to the community of Fort Nelson, that's now under an evacuation order. Meanwhile, in Alberta, an evacuation alert is in place for residents of the Fort McMurray area after new fire starts over the weekend. The province is also being impacted by the wildfire smoke from B.C., with officials saying: "We know the presence of wildfires and smoke in the region can cause a wide range of emotions. Many local public and professional mental health resources are available."

Environment Canada has issued air quality alerts for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories and Quebec on Monday through Tuesday. "Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone's health even at low concentrations," it warned.

Warnings were also issued south of the border, in Minnesota, Montana, the Dakotas and Wisconsin due to the haze, urging people to stay indoors and avoid physical activity outside.

As the wildfire season kicks off, ways to protect ourselves from smoke are top-of-mind for many. Last year, Yahoo Canada spoke to a top respirologist in Toronto, who weighed in on the impact of smoke on our lungs, and what to do to stay safe. Read on for everything you need to know.

Wildfire smoke symptoms, and impact of wildfire smoke on our health: Expert

Smoke from wildfires blankets the city as a couple has a picnic in Edmonton, Alta., on Saturday, May 11, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Dr. John Granton, a respirologist at the Toronto General Hospital (University Health Network), told Yahoo Canada wildfires cause air pollution that can have a far-reaching effect on human health.

Small air pollutant particles in the smoke, called the PM2.5 particles, are "where a lot of the toxic stuff lives," Granton explained.

"That's not filtered by your upper airway, that gets access to your lower airway and into your bloodstream even — and that's where the danger lies.

"That can cause asthma attacks, can cause heart attacks, can contribute to hospitalizations and has long-term health outcomes."

Even just the smell could cause problems to some, he said.

"Being in smog all day long, the smell bothers people; it can cause irritation of the upper airway, some of the larger particles can cause irritation, and cause symptoms. People [who] have chest symptoms or asthma, it can make them feel worse."

Granton said smoke isn't easy to escape, but there are some things people can do try and stay safe.
Can face masks protect us from smoke?

According to Granton, "there's not a lot of data to support the health benefits of masking" when it comes to safety from wildfire smoke. But, he said there is research looking into the effectiveness of filters.

"Cloth masks or scarves and things are not effective at all," the doctor claimed.

But, surgical masks and N95 filter masks "tend to filter those smaller particles," he added, "apparently some of those masks are effective."

A cyclist wears a mask due to poor air quality conditions as smoke from wildfires in Ontario and Quebec hangs over Ottawa on Tuesday, June 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Granton said "they're not going to filter the gases," though, and there are studies that question whether masks that aren't properly fitted would actually help in the real world.

"Whether or not that has a direct health benefit is speculative right now," Granton explained.

However, he said it "may be reasonable" for those who have underlying health conditions and those who have to be in the hotspots of the pollution to wear one.

"If you have to be outdoors and doing things, then wearing that sort of mask to protect you would be sensible."
How else to protect yourself from wildfire smoke?

Though filtration masks could aid in protecting your lungs from smoke, the number one recommendation from experts is to stay indoors.

Canadian experts are advising to stay indoors to protect yourself from wildfire smoke. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

According to Health Canada, the following measures should also be taken:

Reduce sources of indoor air pollution (smoking, vacuuming, burning candles, wood stoves)


Prevent infiltration of outside air (seal windows, instal a high-quality air filter, set HVAC system to recirculation mode, limit use of exhaust fans when not cooking)

Have a functioning CO alarm


Use a portable air purifier and air conditioning

Granton echoed this advice.

"Most people recommend staying indoors as much as possible and not exercising or doing things outside," he reiterated.


How Inhaling Wildfire Smoke Can Affect You in the Long Term

Chantelle Lee

TIME
Wed, May 15, 2024 

Smoke rises after fire erupts in Western Canada on May 14, 2024. Credit - Cheyenne Berreault—Anadolu/Getty Images

Wildfires burning in Canada started sending smoke across the border on Sunday and into the week, prompting U.S. officials to issue air quality warnings in several northern states—and experts say people should be prepared to experience more air quality alerts this summer.

Parts of Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin suffered from poor air quality on Sunday and Monday because of smoke from wildfires continuing to burn in British Columbia and Alberta. While skies in the U.S. mostly cleared by Tuesday, experts say they’re expecting another active wildfire season this summer.

Last summer was Canada’s most devastating wildfire season on record, and researchers found that it was also the worst season in recent history for smoke exposure per U.S. resident.

“We still think that last year was pretty extreme, kind of an anomaly, but we do expect an above average year (this year) in terms of air quality alerts,” says David Brown, an air quality meteorologist at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Brown urged people to be aware and cautious because of the danger that inhaling wildfire smoke poses.

“Wildfire smoke can really affect everyone,” Brown tells TIME. “Prior to these really bad two summers, air quality has kind of been … an issue that probably only affects a small percentage of the population. But these impactful wildfire smoke events really can have impacts on everyone, so everyone kind of has to pay closer attention to the weather and air quality.”

Fine particles in wildfire smoke—known as PM2.5 because they have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers—are so small that they can enter your lungs and even your bloodstream, according to Craig Czarnecki, the outreach coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Air Management Program.

The average person could experience relatively mild symptoms after breathing in these particles, like a scratchy throat and itchy eyes, Brown explains. But for children, older people, and people with pre-existing heart or respiratory conditions, breathing in these particles can cause more significant symptoms—for instance, it could exacerbate a person’s asthma. In extreme cases, some people with pre-existing heart conditions have experienced heart attacks or heart palpitations.

Read More: What Wildfire Smoke Does to the Human Body

A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found an association between smoke from Canadian wildfires and an increase in the number of people being treated for asthma-related symptoms in emergency departments in New York City.

The study shows that “wildfire smoke is a public health threat,” according to Kai Chen, an assistant professor at the Yale School of Public Health and lead author of the study. But the effect of wildfire smoke on asthma is “just one piece” of the impact wildfire smoke can have on people’s health, Chen says.

Research also shows that exposure to wildfire smoke could have long-term impacts. A working paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research found that, as climate change increases the prevalence and intensity of wildfires, wildfire smoke exposure could lead to nearly 28,000 deaths a year by 2050 —a 76% increase from estimated average deaths between 2011 and 2020.

Other studies show that long-term exposure to PM2.5 can impair children’s lung development and increase the risk of developing lung cancer or heart disease.

When officials issue air quality alerts, people should limit their exposure to the wildfire smoke, reduce exertion, and keep an eye out for potential symptoms, like coughing or shortness of breath, Brown and Czarnecki advise. Wearing an N95 mask might be helpful if people are going to be outside for extended periods of time, Czarnecki adds.

“When we have advisories like this, the best way to prevent breathing particles during smoke events is to stay indoors,” Czarnecki says.

Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Midwest with poor air quality again Tuesday

Chris Oberholtz
Tue, May 14, 2024

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Some northern states are waking up to hazy skies Tuesday due to smoke from wildfires across western Canada.

Dozens of large wildfires are burning, mostly in British Columbia and Alberta provinces. The toxic smoke from these massive wildfires has been released into the air and carried into the northern U.S., causing poor air quality in parts of the Midwest.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued an air quality alert for the northernmost four tiers of counties west of Interstate 35 and east of I-35 through 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Iowa air quality officials advise limiting outdoor activities and taking more breaks until conditions improve, especially for those with respiratory or heart disease, children, teenagers, the elderly and outdoor workers.

HOW IS AIR QUALITY MEASURED?

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said that some areas may experience minor reductions in visibility and deteriorated air quality due to surface smoke on Tuesday. However, air quality is expected to improve compared to Monday, as the smoke remains mostly aloft.

As the smoke shifted south Tuesday morning, Topeka, Kansas, had the worst air quality in America. Kansas City, Missouri, also ranked among the cities with the worst air quality.

THE AIR QUALITY INDEX EXPLAINED: WHAT AIR QUALITY IS BAD?

On Monday, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul in Minnesota claimed the worst air quality in America after winds carried the smoke southeastward into the northern U.S. The air quality forecast for Minneapolis is improving to "good" for Tuesday through the rest of the workweek.

The FOX Forecast Center said computer forecast models show the smoke hugging portions of the Midwest throughout Tuesday before an approaching cold front brings rain and clearer conditions starting Wednesday.

WHICH U.S. CITIES HAVE THE DIRTIEST AIR? 2024 STATE OF THE AIR REPORT RANKS THEM

The combination of warm temperatures and an ongoing drought have helped fuel several fires in western Canada, which has prompted thousands to leave their homes.

CANADA HAD NORTH AMERICA'S WORST AIR QUALITY IN 2023 BECAUSE OF WILDFIRES, REPORT SAYS

One of the largest fires burning in the province of British Columbia is called the Parker Lake Wildfire. As of Tuesday, the blaze has burned more than 20,000 acres. The British Columbia Wildfire Service has identified the blaze as "out of control," noting that it continues to spread and could breach the current control line.

Local authorities urged the entire town of Fort Nelson to evacuate and use as few vehicles as possible to conserve fuel in the region about 400 miles east of Juneau, Alaska.

Large wildfires are also burning in neighboring Alberta, where thick smoke and poor air quality have been experienced in large parts of the province.

An evacuation alert was issued for Fort McMurray in Alberta as crews respond to what they describe as an "out-of-control wildfire" southwest of town that has burned more than 16,200 acres as of the latest report.

Additionally, authorities are monitoring rekindled fires since the historic 2023 firestorm, which burned more than 45 million acres.

An El Niño regime caused extensive snowfall deficits across much of the country, potentially setting up regions for another record-breaking fire season.

The latest North America Drought Monitor showed nearly half of Canada is in drought conditions, with the driest regions being located in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

In 2023, hundreds of fires in Canada contributed to some U.S. cities seeing their worst air pollution of all time and creating an orange haze in hazardous conditions.


Dozens of blazes burning in Canada are sending smoke to the US. Several major fires have forced hundreds of evacuations

Eric Zerkel, Joe Sutton, Paradise Afshar and Sara Smart, CNN
Mon, May 13, 2024 

More than 100 blazes are burning across Canada Monday, with several major wildfires prompting evacuations for hundreds of residents and threatening to swallow up communities.

In the province of Manitoba, in eastern Canada, a massive fire had charred more than 86,000 acres by Monday evening and was less than a mile away from the community of Cranberry Portage, local authorities said. More than 500 residents there had been evacuated, according to Manitoba officials.

“I’ve been working in wildfires for 40 years, I’ve never seen a fire move like this fire moved,” Manitoba Wildfire Service Director Earl Simmons said in a Monday news conference.

In Western Canada, the Parker Lake Fire in northeastern British Columbia more than tripled in size over the weekend to 13,000 acres and is now on the doorstep of the small community of Fort Nelson. The blaze was less than 1.5 miles west of the town Monday morning, and gusty winds are expected to linger in the coming days and could bring the flames even closer.

“The next 48 hours will be a challenging situation,” said Bowinn Ma, BC minister of emergency management and climate readiness. “We may begin to see volatile wildfire activity later this afternoon.”

As of Monday morning, roughly 4,700 people were under evacuation orders, including in the town of Fort Nelson and Fort Nelson First Nation, Ma said. People across 80 other properties were also asked to evacuate, the official added.

Evacuation alerts are also in effect for parts of Alberta as wildfire MWF-017 burns about 10 miles southwest of the city of Fort McMurray – an area that was devastated by a wildfire in 2016. By Monday evening, that blaze had grown to more than 16,200 acres.

An evacuation alert was issued for residents in Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek, Gregoire Lake Estates, Fort McMurray 468 First Nation and Anzac, according to Alberta officials.

The blazes also prompted the Canadian National Railway Company to suspend services in some areas.

“CN has suspended service on our network between Fort St. John and Fort Nelson in British Columbia and north of High Level, Alberta due to wildfire activity,” spokeswoman Ashley Michnowski told CNN. “We are working with impacted customers as our crews assess damages and identify any required repairs.”
Warming climate helps fire conditions

Extremely dry conditions and winds gusting up to 25 mph are driving the fire Monday, but the seeds of fire activity were sown over the winter and in past years as the world continues to warm because of human-driven climate change.

“This region has experienced multiple years of drought, with a below normal snowpack this past winter,” said Ben Boghean, fire behavior specialist for the BC Wildfire Service. “As a result of this, our forests in the Fort Nelson zone are very receptive to new fire ignitions and rapid rates of spread.”

This handout picture courtesy of the Alberta Wildfire Service, taken May 11, 2024, shows smoke from wildfires burning southwest of the town of Fort McMurray, in Alberta, Canada. - Alberta Wildlife Service/AFP/Getty Images

Declining snow, increasing temperatures and worsening droughts are all hallmarks of climate change and are projected to keep driving larger and more intense fires across Canada, according to Environment Canada.

Last year was Canada’s most devastating fire season on record, including in British Columbia, where fires burned through hundreds of homes and an area the size of Maryland, according to the BC Wildfire Service.

The Parker Lake Fire is not alone. There are more than 100 fires burning across Canada, 39 of which are considered out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Fire Centre.

Some of the blazes are so-called “holdover fires” also known colloquially as “zombie fires,” the smoldering remains of last season’s epic blazes, burning deep in the ground throughout the winter and reigniting when exposed to warmer temperatures in the spring.

Smoke rises Friday from mutual aid wildfire GCU007 in the Grande Prairie Forest Area near TeePee Creek, Alberta. - Alberta Wildfire/Handout/Reuters

“In the past, the winter conditions are what put out a lot of holdover fires,” Ma said. “In this case, what we’ve seen is that due to higher temperatures and persistent drought through the last year, many of these holdover fires were not put out like they normally are.”

Two “zombie” fires, the Patry Creek Fire and the Nogah Creek wildfire, are growing rapidly to the north and east of Fort Nelson and contributing to the evacuation orders.

Evacuation alerts are also in place for parts of Alberta as the MWF-017 wildfire burns out of control near Fort McMurray in the northeastern area of the province, officials said. The fire had burned about 16,000 acres as of Sunday morning.
Hazardous smoke creeps into the US

Smoke from the infernos has caused Environment Canada to issue a special air quality statement extending from British Columbia to Saskatchewan.

It has also caused smoke to waft down into the northern tier of the US for the first time this year, and for air quality alerts to be issued for Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Air quality reached “unhealthy” levels in all three states Monday, including Minneapolis-St. Paul, according to AirNow.gov.

On Monday afternoon, the Twin Cities had the eighth-worst air quality of 119 major cities tracked by IQAIR, a company tracking air quality worldwide.

Particulate matter levels this high can cause issues for sensitive groups or anyone spending prolonged time outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Wildfire smoke has been linked to increases in certain cancers and heart-related issues, among other ailments.

Just last year, smoke from Canadian wildfires made its way to parts of the United States and caused dangerous air conditions across the country. In 2023, 19 counties in 11 states had days with “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air quality — given at least a “code purple” alert on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index.

Poor air quality conditions are expected to linger in the US through Monday, and likely longer in parts of Canada closer to the fires, including Alberta and British Columbia.

Canadian officials warned those at higher risk of experiencing health effects from wildfire smoke include people with lung disease such as asthma, people with heart disease, along with older adults, children, those who are pregnant and people who work outdoors. They also recommended those who spend time outdoors wear a mask to help reduce exposure to fine particles of smoke.