Adverse Health Impacts of Outdoor Air Pollution, including from Wildland Fires, in the United States: "Health of the Air," 2018-2020.

The adverse health burdens attributable to air pollution occur across the entire age spectrum, including adverse birth outcomes (10,660 preterm and/or low weight births; 95% CI: 3,180-18,330), in addition to mortality impacts (21,300 avoidable deaths; 95% CI: 16,150-26,200), lung cancer incidence (3,000 new cases; 95% CI: 1,550-4,390), multiple types of cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity (748,660 events; 95% CI: 326,050-1,057,080), and adversely impacted days (52.4 million days; 95% CI: 7.9-92.4 million). Two different estimates of mortality impacts from wildland fires were estimated based on assumptions regarding the underlying toxicity of particles from wildland fires (low estimate of 4,080 deaths, 95% CI: 240-7,890; middle estimate of 28,000 deaths, 95% CI: 27,300-28,700). Conclusions - This year's report identified sizable health benefits that are expected to occur across the U.S. from meeting more health-protective air quality standards such as those recommended by ATS. This study also indicates that a large number of excess deaths are attributable to emissions from wildland fires; air quality management strategies outside what is required by the Clean Air Act will be needed to best address this important source of air pollution and its associated health risks. Primary Source of Funding: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Environmental Defense Fund.