The following press release was published by the US EPA on Sept. 30. It is reproduced in full below.
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a report comparing the air quality and health impacts of smoke from prescribed fire, which is used as a land management tool, with wildfire. The “Comparative Assessment of the Impacts of Prescribed Fire Versus Wildfire (CAIF): A Case Study in the Western United States” report found that while a prescribed fire can reduce the overall size of a future wildfire and the associated smoke emissions and smoke-related health impacts, smoke is still emitted. As a result, using prescribed fire is not without risk as it can result in smoke related air quality and public health impacts, but at a much smaller scale compared to a wildfire.
“Wildfire is a complex environmental challenge that impacts the lives of millions of Americans every year,” said Wayne Cascio, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science in EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “With this report, EPA is providing information to federal, state, local and Tribal partners and fire organizations to help them make risk management decisions to reduce the impacts of wildfire smoke in their communities.”
Over the past 20 years, the number of acres burned annually due to wildfires in the U.S. has doubled. The health effects of wildfire smoke can range from eye and respiratory tract irritation to more serious disorders, including reduced lung function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma and heart failure, and even premature death. Some populations may be at increased risk of health effects due to wildfire smoke exposure, including children, older adults, and people with pre-existing heart and lung disease.
Prescribed fire is a land management tool that can reduce the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires by strengthening an area’s ecosystems and reducing the buildup of unwanted fuels. In contrast to wildfire, prescribed fire is a planned event and therefore with coordination and advance notification communities and individuals can take health protective actions to reduce exposure. Though a prescribed fire has the potential to reduce the likelihood of a future wildfire, both events produce smoke and may result in public health impacts.
In January 2020, the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC), an intergovernmental committee that supports the implementation and coordination of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy asked EPA to assess air quality and health impacts of smoke from prescribed fire compared to wildfire. EPA engaged USFS, DOI, and NIST to develop the CAIF report. The results of this report can help inform risk management decisions about the use of prescribed fire with consideration of the public health impacts from smoke.
The CAIF report represents one component of EPA’s broader research portfolio that informs the scientific understanding of the impacts of wildfire smoke and ways to protect public health.
For more information on EPA's CAIF report: https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/risk/recordisplay.cfm?deid=352824
Learn more about EPA’s Wildland Fire research: https://www.epa.gov/air-research/wildland-fire-research-protect-health-and-environment
Source: US EPA
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