Connecting Wildfires to the Public’s Health

As wildfires of record heat and intensity roared the Western U.S. and other parts of the world, PHI experts linked these incidents—and their aftermaths—to health. In 2019 PHI’s Dr. Linda Rudolph called for better evacuation planning (especially for vulnerable populations, like the elderly and people with disabilities), and helped health departments prep for future incidents. A research study, led by Dr. Gina Solomon, former director of PHI’s Achieving Resilient Communities (ARC) and PHI’s Science for Toxic Exposure Prevention, looked at the state of water in areas affected by the Paradise Camp Fire—with implications for other communities across the globe that have experienced super-heated wildfires. She checked water in homes for contaminants that had leached into local water supplies. Learn more.