As climate change intensifies wildfires and smoke, lack of action and attention leaves vulnerable communities to bear the brunt of the health effects.
A study published in GeoHealth done on the 2020 Sonoma County wildfires in California found that farmworkers are exposed to high levels of pollution during wildfires. It also exposed an inconsistency in monitoring pollution and an inadequate system for protecting farmworkers’ health.
2020 was a huge year for wildfires in California, with 44 percent of the 50 largest fires in the U.S. occurring in the state. Reports also estimate that the state known for its wildfires may see a burn area increase of 77 percent by the end of the century.
A study done last year revealed that the severe North American Fire season accounted for about a quarter of the entire planet’s fire emissions.
