<i>Notes from the Field:</i> Asthma-Associated Emergency Department Visits During a Wildfire Smoke Event — New York, June 2023
Haillie Meek, Heather Aydin-Ghormoz, Kathleen F. Bush, Neil Muscatiello, Cristin E. McArdle, Charlene Weng, Dina Hoefer, Wan‐Hsiang Hsu, Eli S. Rosenberg
Abstract
During June 6-8, 2023, smoke from Eastern Canadian wildfires caused poor air quality across New York, driven by concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM 2.5 )*; air quality index reached "unhealthy" or "very unhealthy" levels across the state.† PM 2.5 from wildfire smoke is associated with an increased risk for medical emergencies, including asthma exacerbations (1).Characterizing such health outcomes during this wildfire smoke event can guide current and future response efforts.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineEmergency departmentAsthmaSmokeEvent (particle physics)Medical emergencyEnvironmental healthMeteorologyPsychiatryInternal medicinePhysicsQuantum mechanicsFire effects on ecosystemsFire dynamics and safety researchWind and Air Flow Studies