Public Health Corner: February 2026

This quarter we focus on the impacts of wildfire on health in Arizona and New Mexico. Well established are the effects of smoke from wildfires exacerbating chronic respiratory conditions. However, smoke from wildfires occurring at the wildland-urban interface, which often burn structures, have been shown to emit toxic organic compounds. CLIMAS researchers also identified  distinct, ecosystem-specific responses to climate variability and wildfire dynamics  in southwestern conifer forests, shrublands, and grasslands. There is still a lot to learn about the health effects of what burns during a fire.  

When it comes to cardiovascular health, knowing what burns during a wildfire may be critical to understanding the risk because exposure to particulate matter and toxic smoke can activate inflammatory and coagulation processes in the body. Since we last  updated you on CLIMAS wildfire projects  in January 2025, CLIMAS researchers (Erika, Heidi & Dan) published their study exploring the differences in cardiovascular health outcomes by what burns in a wildfire. In that study, we showed an  overall elevated risk for general cardiovascular disease  and, in specific subtypes: dysrhythmia and hypertensive diseases, following wildfire. When we compared fires that burned natural sources to fires that burned peat or structures (which have a greater likelihood of toxic smoke) the general “all cardiovascular” conditions and dysrhythmia had a greater risk of emergency department visits.  

Coming out soon is a new study where we sought to  aid health departments as they respond to increased regional wildfire activity  and the risk of multiple or cascading events occurring. CLIMAS researchers (Heidi, Erika, Dan & Ladd) interviewed public health researchers to understand what role has public health had in wildfire response. Conversations with practitioners in Arizona and New Mexico revealed best practices including: clear and consistent messaging, building trust with community partners and connecting people to resources rather than providers of ‘stuff’, and supporting cross-sectoral collaboration and flexibility as a means to support capacity.  

Building on that work, CLIMAS researcher Heidi, and Florent Mouillot, senior scientist at CNRS and IRD, are  teaming up to improve how wildfire smoke is measured  and how it interacts with extreme heat to affect cardiovascular health. Using data from the U.S., France, and North Africa, the team is evaluating health risks and assessing the effectiveness of prescribed winter burns. 

Wondering what you can do to be sure you’re prepared if a wildfire happened in your area? 

The International Association of Fire Chiefs manage the Ready, Set Go program to help residents prepare for wildfire – Check out the  Arizona  and  New Mexico  specific websites for Ready, Set Go! If you’re worried about air quality, the US  Air Quality Index  website has local conditions, and most weather applications on phones integrate air quality into daily weather reports.