Wildfire air pollution: global strategies for mitigating PM2.5 health risks

Wildfire fire-induced air pollution is an urgent public health and environmental issue. The frequency, intensity, and duration of wildfires are rising globally, fueled by climate change, and land management practices. These fires are significant sources of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and other pollutants, impacting air quality at scale and contributing to excess mortality and morbidity. Recent research has revealed significant increases in PM2.5 exposures attributable to wildfires, affecting populations in North and South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Despite progress in reducing some sources of air pollution, the contribution of forest fires to global PM2.5 exposure and related health risks has intensified, raising important questions about the adequacy of current mitigation frameworks, the relative toxicity of wildfire-derived exposures and the most effective strategies to protect vulnerable populations.The goal of this Research Topic is to advance global understanding of the health risks posed by wildfire emissions and to foster the development and implementation of multi-faceted mitigation and adaptation strategies. This endeavor encourages the global research community to address gaps in wildfire epidemiology, to model and predict air wildfire-related pollution exposures, policy development and evaluation, and to develop and evaluate approaches to reducing risk through mitigation and adaptation. Additional aims include clarifying the relationships between wildfire activity, social and demographic vulnerability and health outcomes, as well as scrutinizing the toxicity and composition of wildfire-derived particulates compared to other sources of PM2.5. By synthesizing interdisciplinary evidence and policy analysis, this topic seeks to bolster science-driven policy and practice to reduce the human and ecological consequences of forest fire air pollution. This Research Topic also welcomes work examining how the time-path of exposure influences health outcomes—for example, how short, intense wildfire smoke episodes (in contrast to the long-term exposure metrics commonly used in air pollution epidemiology, such as annual averages) contribute to risk.The scope of this Research Topic is international, focusing on evidence, solutions, and insights relevant to diverse geographical, climatic, and socio-economic contexts. It prioritizes primary research, reviews, policy analyses, and methodological advances that deepen the understanding of global trends and interventions addressing wildfire air pollution. To gather further insights into the health and environmental dimensions of wildfires and PM2.5, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Advanced modeling and simulation of PM2.5 dispersion and health effects across regions• Comparative evaluation of mitigation and adaptation strategies globally• Patterns and trends in vulnerability, mortality, and exposure related to wildfire pollution• Chemical composition and health impacts of PM2.5 from different types of vegetation fires• Policy frameworks for transboundary air quality management and coordinated disaster responses• Community awareness, risk communication, and resilience-building practices Topic editors: Gaetano Settimo, DANIELA D'ALESSANDRO, Pasquale Avino Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77327/wildfire-air-pollution-global-strategies-for-mitigating-pm25-health-risks