"Wildfires & Our Health" Education Series
Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. They generate large amounts of air pollution and have devastating effects on the communities that they set ablaze. Wildfires pose serious threats to physical and mental health and have far-reaching public health implications. The “Wildfires & Our Health” education series of infographics aims to raise awareness of the broad range of health effects of wildfires and offer advice for what people can do to protect themselves from wildfire smoke.
We encourage healthcare providers to share the following evidence-based infographics with patients through a variety of means: electronically, on digital or print posters, print out and provide during a visit, include them in after-visit or discharge summaries, and/or place in clinic waiting rooms.
Infographics for Education on Health Risks Associated with Wildfires
Click on the bars below to view a PDF file of each infographic.
General Health -- La Salud General -- 健康
Lung Health -- Los Pulmones -- 肺
Heart Health -- El Corazón -- 心脏
Skin Health -- La Piel -- 皮肤
Pregnancy -- El Embarazo -- 怀孕
Mental Health -- La Salud Mental -- 心理健康
Children's Health -- Los Niños -- 儿童
Graphics designed by Raj Fadadu, Serena Appignani Blacklow, and Jennifer Collier.
Other Resources
-Go to www.Airnow.gov to find out the air quality (AQI) in your neighborhood.
-View your state and local emergency preparedness websites, such as www.readyforwildfire.org, to create a wildfire action plan.
-You can consider making an air purifier at home with a box fan built after 2012 and MERV 13 filter.
-View the EPA guide for sustainable living: tips for individuals and communities to adopt to live more sustainably and lessen the progression of climate change.
For the general public:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wildfires page: resources on how to prepare for a wildfire, stay safe during a wildfire, and protect your health, especially for vulnerable populations like children and pregnant patients
2. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fires and Your Health: overview of important wildfires and health information with links to extra resources
3. Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU): fact sheets as well as detailed infographics and multimedia resources with key information about wildfires, children’s health, and mask fitting
4. CDC page for pregnant patients: short list of recommendations for pregnant patients during wildfires
For healthcare providers:
1. NEJM Special Report on Wildfires, Global Climate Change, and Human Health: summary of wildfire patterns, health risks, and mitigation strategies
2. US HHS Site on Public Health Response to Wildfires: important resources for emergency response and preparedness that clinicians should be aware of
3. Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU): fact sheets as well as detailed infographics and multimedia resources with key information about wildfires and children’s health
4. AAFP “The Changing Climate: Managing Health Impacts”: climate resources and actions for managing health risks associated with climate change for health professionals
5. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Human Health Impacts of Climate Change: overview of key domains of climate-related health harms
6. The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: a comprehensive global report on the state of the climate crisis and evolving health risks; summaries provided in French, German, Mandarin and Spanish
7. Harvard EdX Course on The Health Effects of Climate Change: online, self-paced, free course broadly covering the health impacts of climate change
8. Addressing Climate-Related Health Impacts During the Patient Encounter: A Practical Guide for Pediatric Dermatologists: strategies and examples for framing patient interactions surrounding climate and health education
Contact Us
If you have questions about the materials, please email: [email protected].
This project was led by Raj Fadadu and Serena Appignani Blacklow (UCSF medical students; class of 2023) with support from faculty members Drs. Arianne Teherani and Katherine Gundling. We thank the other members of the UC Center for Climate, Health, and Equity for their support, our faculty reviewers for content assessment, and Health Care Without Harm for providing funding (Emerging Physician Leader Award) for graphic design.
Page last updated: June 5, 2023