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Almost 40% of Americans Live With Dirty Air: Report
- Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
- April 24, 2024
- Full Page
Nearly 40% of Americans live where the air is polluted enough to harm them, a new report warns.
In the American Lung Association's “State of the Air” report, released Wednesday, the number of people living...
Cleaning Toxins From Your Home After a Wildfire: Experts Offer Tips
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- January 5, 2024
- Full Page
It's easy to see the immediate health hazards of wildfire smoke, as people struggle to breathe through a sooty haze.
But a new study finds that harmful chemicals found in wildfire smoke can linger in a person's home for weeks after the immediate threat has passed, posing...
Wildfires Are Undoing Gains Made Against Air Pollution
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 5, 2023
- Full Page
Unhealthy air from wildfires is causing hundreds of additional deaths in the western United States every year, a new study claims.
Wildfires have undercut progress made in cleaning America's air, and between 2000 and 2020 caused an increase of 670 premature deaths each y...
Controlled Fires Cut Wildfire Risk by 60%, Study Shows
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- November 14, 2023
- Full Page
Controlled forest burns can prevent the sort of high-intensity wildfires that have plagued the Western U.S. and Canada as a result of climate change, a new study argues.
A low-intensity fire in the mixed conifer forests of California provides an estimated 60% reduction i...
Wildfire Smoke Pollution a Growing Global Threat
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 21, 2023
- Full Page
More people around the world are exposed to wildfire smoke that has the potential to harm human health, and their numbers are growing, new research finds.
More than 2 billion people are exposed to at least one day of potentially health-impacting wildfire smoke each year...
Once Again, Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Envelops Many American Cities
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 29, 2023
- Full Page
For the second time this month, massive plumes of smoke from hundreds of out-of-control Canadian wildfires are polluting much of America's air.
Among the major U.S. cities now experiencing poor air quality are St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Chicago, while entire st...
Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blackens Skies, Prompts Air Quality Alerts in Much of U.S.
- Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
- June 7, 2023
- Full Page
Wildfires that have been spreading throughout Canada in recent weeks are now spewing tons of smoke southward into the United States.
The smoke was so thick on Tuesday that New York City's skyline could not be seen clearly and
Nova Scotia Wildfires Sending Unhealthy 'Smoke Plume' to U.S. Northeast
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 1, 2023
- Full Page
Large, uncontrolled wildfires in Nova Scotia are creating unhealthy air in the Northeast region of the United States, including parts of Connecticut.
This significant smoke plume is likely to cause elevated levels of fine particulate matter, the American Lung Association...
California's Wildfires Caused Uptick in Skin Ailments
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 20, 2023
- Full Page
Wildfires are known to have a lot of negative impacts on the environment and the health of the people who live through them.
Yet another is the worsening of skin conditions, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). The group shared strategies to minimize ...
'Spring Forward': A Good Time to Check Batteries in Your Smoke Alarms
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 10, 2023
- Full Page
When you turn your clock forward for the start of daylight saving time, take time for some potentially life-saving safety checks.
“When moving your clocks forward, remember to check every level of your home for working smoke and CO alarms,” said
Wildfire Smoke May Send Pregnant Women Into Premature Labor
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 13, 2023
- Full Page
Exposure to wildfire smoke can increase the risk of premature birth, new research suggests.
For the study, the researchers reviewed birth certificates and hospital delivery data for more than 2.5 million pregnant women in California from 2007 to 2012, and used satellite ...
Lessons From a Wildfire on How to Save Pets' Lives
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 13, 2023
- Full Page
In the wake of natural disasters like wildfires that have destroyed whole communities with alarming speed, some folks are focused on the beloved pets left behind — and how to save others in the future.
More than 1,000 pets died in the Marshall fire on Dec. 30, 2021, in...
Don't Feel the Burn: Stay Safe From Heat Injuries
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 11, 2023
- Full Page
In 2021, U.S. emergency rooms treated more than 193,000 burn injuries caused by an array of products, ranging from cooking devices to fireworks and space heaters.
Most of these burns were preventable, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Children u...
Each Year, People Start Fires That Cost 20,000 American Lives
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 17, 2023
- Full Page
Fires started by people account for a majority of premature deaths related to inhalation of tiny smoke particles in the United States, a new study reveals.
These blazes, which are increasing, led to 20,000 premature deaths in 2018. That was 270% more than in 2003, accor...
More Americans Are Moving to Wildfire-Prone Areas
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 8, 2022
- Full Page
Some Americans appear to be moving from areas with frequent hurricanes and heat waves to places threatened by wildfire and rising heat.
They're trading in the risk of one set of natural disasters for another because the wildfires are only beginning to become a national ...
Winter Brings Rise in Carbon Monoxide Danger: Stay Safe
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 3, 2022
- Full Page
Winter weather brings with it plenty of hazards, including risks from carbon monoxide poisoning, and fires.
Check Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries as Clocks Go Back on Sunday
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- November 3, 2022
- Full Page
When you set your clocks back on Sunday, do some simple at-home safety checks that could save your life.
Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors to be sure they're working. This is also a good time to replace their batteries.
'Prescribed' Fires' Hidden Bonus: Fewer Ticks
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 26, 2022
- Full Page
A tool used to restore forest ecosystems could also be key to the battle against tick-borne disease, researchers say.
Forest managers and land owners use prescribed fire to combat invasive species, improve wildlife habitat and restore ecosystem health.
Heat, Smoke & the Heart: Wildfires Cause Cardiac Crises
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 15, 2022
- Full Page
While most people know that breathing in wildfire smoke isn't good for respiratory health, they may not know that...
Which Americans Are Most (and Least) Prepared for Disasters?
- By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- July 19, 2022
- Full Page
When hurricanes, floods and fires hit, everyone can struggle to respond and cope, but new research suggests that women, people with kids under 18, renters, the poor, and Black and Asian Americans are the most vulnerable to weather disasters.
These groups need special he...
Cats Injured in Wildfires at High Risk for Blood Clots
- By Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling HealthDay Reporter
- July 18, 2022
- Full Page
While California works to restore its landscape after years of historic wildfires, new research could transform the way in which veterinarians treat animals recovered from damaged forests.
The study found that...
Many Parents Ignore Fireworks Safety
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- June 30, 2022
- Full Page
Many U.S. parents don't take proper precautions to protect their children from fireworks-related burns and injuries, claims a new survey released just ahead of the Fourth of July.
Live in a Wildfire Zone? Be Prepared
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 25, 2022
- Full Page
More Americans now live in wildfire zones as wildfire seasons have become longer, with hotter, faster-moving fires.
If you're one of those who live in a location threatened by wildfires, it's important to be ...
Wildfire Survivors Could Face Higher Cancer Risk
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- May 16, 2022
- Full Page
Wildfires, like the one currently raging in New Mexico, are known to cause upticks in breathing issues and heart attacks in their immediate wake for folks who...
Western Wildfires Fueling Air Pollution During Summer Months
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- April 21, 2022
- Full Page
Larger and more intense wildfires in the U.S. Pacific Northwest are causing a spike in air pollution across North America that endangers millions of people, a new study warns.
Firefighters Face Higher Odds for Heart Trouble
- March 23, 2022
- Full Page
The more blazes firefighters battle, the higher their risk for a heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation (a-fib), a new study shows.
"Clinicians who care for firefighters need to be aware of the increased
U.S. Wildfires: Much Bigger, More Frequent Now
- March 21, 2022
- Full Page
U.S. wildfires have become larger, more frequent and more widespread in the past two decades, and the situation will become even worse in the future, a new study warns.
Winter Storms Bring Carbon Monoxide Danger to Homes
- Robert Preidt
- February 3, 2022
- Full Page
With winter storms roaring through much of the United States this week, millions of Americans may face power outages that could put them at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fires as they try to keep warm, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns.
When the p...
Wildfires Plus Heat Make Breathing Dangerous in America's West
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- January 12, 2022
- Full Page
Wildfires and rising temperatures are exposing more and more Americans to an air pollution double-whammy of smoke and smog, a new study warns.
Researchers found that over the past 20 years, a growing number of people in western states have been simultaneously expose...
12 Steps to the Best Holiday Gift: Health
- December 25, 2021
- Full Page
Give yourself and your loved ones the gifts of health and safety this holiday season, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests.
The agency outlines 12 ways to do that, beginning with a reminder that washing your hands with soap and clean running water...
Heat Waves Far More Frequent Now Than in 1980s
- Robert Preidt
- December 20, 2021
- Full Page
Large, simultaneous heat waves have become much more common in northern regions worldwide due to climate change and could have disastrous consequences, researchers warn.
The investigators also found that these concurrent heat waves are becoming larger and hotter.
"...
Silent Killers: Space Heaters, Generators Bring Carbon Monoxide Danger
- December 19, 2021
- Full Page
If you're among the many people who use space heaters and generators during the winter, you need to guard against fire and carbon monoxide (CO) hazards, th...
Carbon Monoxide From Generators Can Be Silent Killer After Disasters
- Cara Murez
- December 15, 2021
- Full Page
The deadly tornadoes that devastated communities in multiple states this past weekend have destroyed many homes and left others without power.
But if people turn to generators to manage in the aftermath, they should use caution, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commissi...
Assistance Dogs Bring Big Boost to Deaf People
- Robert Preidt
- December 2, 2021
- Full Page
Hearing dogs make a huge difference in deaf people's lives, a new British study shows.
The dogs are trained to alert deaf people to everyday sounds such as doorbells, human voices, baby monitors and alarm clocks, as well as safety-related sounds such as smoke and intrude...
It's Time to Replace Your Smoke Alarm Batteries
- November 6, 2021
- Full Page
Setting your clocks back an hour this Sunday also means it's time to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says.
Working alarms are especially important because people are spending mor...
Western Wildfires Are Making Easterners Sick: U.S. Study
- Cara Murez
- October 7, 2021
- Full Page
You might think that wildfires in the western United States would only affect folks in places like Colorado, California or Oregon.
But a new study estimates that three-quarters...
Wildfires Cause More Than 33,000 Deaths Globally Each Year
- Steven Reinberg
- September 9, 2021
- Full Page
Wildfires are killing people around the world -- even those with limited exposure to wildfire-related pollution, an international team of researchers reports.
Double Trouble: Wildfires Can Raise COVID Risks
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 16, 2021
- Full Page
The wildfire smoke now smothering wide portions of the United States isn't just stinging eyes and tightening chests -- it also might be contributing to the current surge of severe COVID-19 cases.
Data from three Western states subject to frequent wildfires shows that COV...
Wildfires Ravage Firefighters' Long-Term Physical, Mental Health
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 11, 2021
- Full Page
Roaring, fast-moving blazes. Choking smoke. Fiery tornados. Thunderstorms and lightning.
The Dixie Fire -- now the single largest wildfire in California history -- continues to spread, having burned through more than 750 square miles of forest land north of Sacramento.
Climate Change Worsens Wildfires, Bringing Poorer Health to All
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 9, 2021
- Full Page
Smoke from wildfires burning along the West Coast is choking the entire United States, reminding everyone of the hazards of climate change.
But that haze isn't just stinging your eyes and choking your breath -- it poses a direct threat to your health, experts say.
...
Double Trouble: Wildfire Smoke Could Boost Odds for COVID's Spread
- Robert Preidt
- July 20, 2021
- Full Page
Breathing in smoke from wildfires may significantly increase the spread of COVID-19, researchers say.
The warning, from a new study of links between smoke-caused air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infections, comes as firefighters battle 80 large wildfires in the western Unite...
It's BBQ Season, Prime Time for Grill Fires
- July 17, 2021
- Full Page
If you're not careful, your grilling season could go up in flames, an expert warns.
Each year, U.S. fire departments respond to about 5,700 residential barbecue fires, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire Administration. Those fires result in ...
Fireworks Deaths Spiked in Pandemic; Stay Safe This 4th
- Robert Preidt
- July 1, 2021
- Full Page
The COVID-19 pandemic likely played a role in the 50% increase in deaths from fireworks in the United States last year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says.
Many public fireworks displays were canceled last summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That le...
Is Your Family 'CO Safe' When Big Storms Hit?
- May 15, 2021
- Full Page
If you live in the path of hurricanes , the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging you to be prepared.
Deaths from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, fires and electric shock are common during severe weather events, according to the CPSC.
Hurricane s...
Wildfires Are Changing the Seasonal Air Quality of the U.S. West
- Robert Preidt
- May 4, 2021
- Full Page
Increasing numbers of wildfires are making poor air quality more common throughout the Western United States, according to a new study.
The findings suggest that many cities may soon have trouble meeting air quality standards, said lead author Kai Wilmot, a doctoral stud...
Wildfire Smoke Can Trigger Eczema, Study Finds
- Cara Murez
- April 22, 2021
- Full Page
When wildfires choked the air and turned the skies orange throughout the American West in recent years, they caused a variety of health problems from coughs and runny noses to life-threatening heart attacks and strokes.
But eczema and other skin issues were a result of t...
Wildfire Smoke Can Send Kids With Asthma to the ER
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- March 23, 2021
- Full Page
The smoke from forest fires is sending children to emergency rooms with respiratory problems at higher rates than ever before, a new study finds.
"Kids are particularly vulnerable to pollution from wildfires, so they can have asthma exacerbation and other respiratory pro...
Storm Alert: How to Keep Your Home Safe
- Steven Reinberg
- March 17, 2021
- Full Page
Winter weather can bring hidden dangers, the most deadly of which can include carbon monoxide poisoning and fires.
As blizzards, tornadoes and severe storms batter the nation and many lose power and heat, the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning and fires from portable ge...
'Spring Forward' This Weekend By Checking Your Home Smoke Alarms
- Robert Preidt
- March 14, 2021
- Full Page
When you turn your clocks forward to Daylight Saving Time this weekend, take a few minutes to make your home safer.
Change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) suggests. Unless these devices have ...
Wildfire Smoke Is Especially Toxic to Lungs, Study Shows
- Robert Preidt
- March 8, 2021
- Full Page
Fine particles in wildfire smoke pose a far greater threat to the lungs than similar particles in vehicle exhaust and other types of air pollution, researchers report.
These fine particles -- called PM2.5 -- have a diameter about 1/20th the size of a human hair and can g...