Camp Fire smoke effects on Bay Area kids

Smoke from the massive 2018 California wildfire significantly worsened asthma symptoms among kids in the Bay Area, according to a new study.

Why it matters: Wildfires have become more frequent and extreme worldwide due to climate change.

• Researchers have found that wildfire smoke and carbon dioxide can damage the lungs, contribute to cardiovascular issues and trigger strokes.
• That compounds adverse health effects that many communities in the U.S., especially of color, already experience from air pollution.

Driving the news: To study the effects of the Camp Fire — the deadliest and most destructive in modern California history — researchers used map data from platform Komodo Health and analyzed health outcomes and hospital visits from 1.6 million pediatric asthma patients in the San Francisco Bay area.

By the numbers: They found rates of asthma exacerbation, such as worse coughing or more shortness of breath, increased 76% in the 14 days after the fire started.

• The rates increased 95% for "Hispanic/Latino" kids, 75% for Asian American and Pacific Islander children, 63% for Black children and 55% for white children.
• Overall, the wildfires were linked to 27% more emergency visits to a doctor from child asthmatics.

Flashback: The Bay Area's air quality index was over 150, which is classified as "unhealthy," for 12 consecutive days, peaking higher than 250 in San Francisco, according to an article in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

What they're saying: The researchers say the data points to how authorities could address the issue, including targeted distribution of protective equipment like masks and air filters, or investment in clean-air shelters.

What we're watching: The effects of this year's fire season on air quality.

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