{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"Why Wildfire Smoke Is a Growing Public Health Threat in the U.S.","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1245,"description":"As smoke from Canadian wildfires once again drifts across the U.S., impacting air quality for millions, and major blazes burn in the West, communities are being forced to confront the far-reaching effects of these disasters. To help us better understand how to prepare for and respond to these increasingly frequent and complex emergencies, we spoke with Dr. Njoki Mwarumba, Assistant Professor of Emergency Management at SUNY Empire State University, whose work sits at the critical intersection of emergency planning and public health.“There’s never really a single reason or cause,” said Dr. Mwarumba. “Wildfires are part of natural ecosystems, but what we’re seeing now is convergence—human-made conditions, fuel buildup, hotter-burning fires, longer seasons, and less time for recovery.”Wildfires Are Getting Worse—Here’s WhyDr. Mwarumba pointed out that while fires have always been part of forest ecosystems, today’s fire patterns are changing dramatically. Fires are now:Burning hotter and spreading more widelyOccurring more frequentlyExtending fire seasons and shortening recovery timeThese shifts, she said, are being driven by a combination of drought conditions, increased fuel loads, and changing weather patterns—many of which are tied to climate change.“What used to be a seasonal pattern is now a threat multiplier,” she said. “Drier conditions extend fire seasons, which then disrupt ecosystems and strain emergency response systems.”Smoke Knows No BordersEven when the flames are hundreds of miles away, wildfire smoke poses serious health risks. The hazy skies across the Northeast this week are a stark reminder.“The smoke doesn’t respect national or state boundaries,” Dr. Mwarumba said. “It travels with air currents, carrying fine particles that pose a real threat to respiratory health—especially for children, the elderly, pregnant people, and those with asthma or other conditions.”She emphasized the importance of regional and international cooperation in responding to...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}