Respiratory risks from wildfire-specific PM2.5 across multiple countries and territories

Abstract Under a warming climate, wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. Multicountry studies evaluating associations between wildfire fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and respiratory hospitalizations are lacking. Here we evaluate the short-term effects of wildfire-specific PM 2.5 on respiratory hospitalizations from 1,052 communities across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan, during 2000–2019. A 1 µg m −3 increase in wildfire-specific PM 2.5 was associated with increased hospitalization risks for all-cause respiratory, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute upper respiratory infection, influenza and pneumonia by 0.36%, 0.48%, 0.38%, 0.42%, 0.79% and 0.36%, respectively. Higher risks were observed among populations ≤19 or ≥60 years old, from low-income or high non-wildfire PM 2.5 communities, and residing in Brazil, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. Australia and New Zealand exhibited a greater hospitalization risk for asthma associated with wildfire-specific PM 2.5 . Compared with non-wildfire PM 2.5 , wildfire-specific PM 2.5 posed greater hospitalization risks for all respiratory diseases and a greater burden of asthma. Wildfire-specific PM 2.5 contributed to 42.4% of PM 2.5 -linked respiratory hospitalizations, dominating in Thailand. Overall, the substantial contribution of wildfire-specific PM 2.5 to respiratory hospitalizations demands continued mitigation and adaptation efforts across most countries. Intervention should be prioritized for influenza, children, adolescents, the elderly and populations in low-income or high-polluted communities.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Sustainability
Published
2025-04-08
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01533-9
Citations
23
Primary Topic
Air Quality and Health Impacts
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
27.59

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article

Respiratory risks from wildfire-specific PM2.5 across multiple countries and territories

Yao Yu Wu, Pei Yu, Jiangning Song, Bo Wen et al.
23 citations
Nature Sustainability
Air Quality and Health Impacts
27.59
article

Respiratory risks from wildfire-specific PM2.5 across multiple countries and territories

Yao Yu Wu, Pei Yu, Jiangning Song, Bo Wen, Luke D. Knibbs, Peng Bi, Simon Hales, Anthony Capon, Jane Heyworth, Wenbiao Hu, Guy B. Marks, Fay H. Johnston, Michael John Abramson, Rongbin Xu, Julie M. Arblaster, Dung Phung, Paulo Hilário Nascimento Saldiva, Donna Green, Lídia Morawska, Bin Jalaludin, Micheline de Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coêlho, Wenzhong Huang, Zhengyu Yang, Wenhua Yu, Tingting Ye, Patricia Matus Correa, Geoffrey Morgan, Shanshan Li, Ying Zhang, Yanming Liu, Yue Leon Guo, Yiwen Zhang, Yuming Guo, Amanda Johnson, Ke Ju, Eric Lavigne
article en
23 citations

Abstract

Abstract Under a warming climate, wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. Multicountry studies evaluating associations between wildfire fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and respiratory hospitalizations are lacking. Here we evaluate the short-term effects of wildfire-specific PM 2.5 on respiratory hospitalizations from 1,052 communities across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan, during 2000–2019. A 1 µg m −3 increase in wildfire-specific PM 2.5 was associated with increased hospitalization risks for all-cause respiratory, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute upper respiratory infection, influenza and pneumonia by 0.36%, 0.48%, 0.38%, 0.42%, 0.79% and 0.36%, respectively. Higher risks were observed among populations ≤19 or ≥60 years old, from low-income or high non-wildfire PM 2.5 communities, and residing in Brazil, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam. Australia and New Zealand exhibited a greater hospitalization risk for asthma associated with wildfire-specific PM 2.5 . Compared with non-wildfire PM 2.5 , wildfire-specific PM 2.5 posed greater hospitalization risks for all respiratory diseases and a greater burden of asthma. Wildfire-specific PM 2.5 contributed to 42.4% of PM 2.5 -linked respiratory hospitalizations, dominating in Thailand. Overall, the substantial contribution of wildfire-specific PM 2.5 to respiratory hospitalizations demands continued mitigation and adaptation efforts across most countries. Intervention should be prioritized for influenza, children, adolescents, the elderly and populations in low-income or high-polluted communities.

Nature SustainabilityVol. 8(5)
Health Canada (CA), The University of Sydney (AU), University of Tasmania (AU), University of Ottawa (CA), Queensland University of Technology (AU), The University of Queensland (AU), The University of Western Australia (AU), Universidade de São Paulo (BR), UNSW Sydney (AU), Clínica Las Condes (CL), National Taiwan University Hospital (TW), Sydney Local Health District (AU), Environmental Earth Sciences (AU), Monash University (AU), The University of Adelaide (AU), University of Otago (NZ)
Monash University, China Scholarship Council, Medical Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Air Quality and Health Impacts
27.59
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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