Short-term impacts of 2017 western North American wildfires on meteorology, the atmosphere's energy budget, and premature mortality. (7th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bernstein, Diana N; Hamilton, Douglas S; Krasnoff, Rosalie; Mahowald, Natalie M; Connelly, David S; Tilmes, Simone; Hess, Peter G M
• Is Part Of: Environmental research letters. Volume 16:Number 6(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-06-07
• Subjects: wildfires -- aerosol health impacts -- meteorology; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Research -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac02ee
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-9326

Abstract

Abstract: Western North American fires have been increasing in magnitude and severity over the last few decades. The complex coupling of fires with the atmospheric energy budget and meteorology creates short-term feedbacks on regional weather altering the amount of pollution to which Americans are exposed. Using a combination of model simulations and observations, this study shows that the severe fires in the summer of 2017 increased atmospheric aerosol concentrations leading to a cooling of the air at the surface, reductions in sensible heat fluxes, and a lowering of the planetary boundary layer height over land. This combination of lower-boundary layer height and increased aerosol pollution from the fires reduces air quality. We estimate that from start of August to end of October 2017, ∼400 premature deaths occurred within the western US as a result of short-term exposure to elevated PM2.5 from fire smoke. As North America confronts a warming climate with more fires the short-term climate and pollution impacts of increased fire activity should be assessed within policy aimed to minimize impacts of climate change on society.