Gabrielle Yi-hui Liu, MD

Exposure to smoke from wildfires occurring in the zone where human development intermingles with wildland, known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI), is a growing public health threat in the U.S. The burning of wood, plastics, batteries and metals form a hazardous mixture of inhalable matter. It is clear that wildfire smoke exposure is associated with short-term risks such as ER visits and hospitalizations during the time of heavy smoke. However, the potential long-term effects of wildfire exposure on lung health are not as well understood. The goal of this research is to understand the potential long-term respiratory health effects of smoke coming from WUI wildfires by studying its association with measures of lung health which have been linked to risk of future chronic lung disease. We will test the association between WUI wildfire smoke exposure and respiratory symptoms, proteins in the blood, lung function and exercise capability in the months to years after exposure.

Update: The long-term respiratory health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke are not well-understood. Persistent respiratory symptoms and acute respiratory illness/exacerbations are associated with the development of future chronic lung disease and may help elucidate this risk. In one study of adults without chronic lung disease and in another study focused on adults with asthma, we found that higher wildfire smoke exposure was associated with greater risk of respiratory symptoms that persist at least six months after the wildfire, and medically-attended respiratory illness occurring at least a month after the wildfire. These studies provide evidence that exposure to wildfire smoke is associated with respiratory morbidity that persists for months after the wildfire, which may indicate risk of future chronic lung disease.