Burning Questions: Research Data, Tools, and Insights Needed to Reduce Environmental Exposures and Public Health Risks from Wildland Fires in the United States

Wildland fire (i.e., wildfire and prescribed fire) presents growing and unique challenges. Therefore, future research is needed that spans environmental media (i.e., air, water, and soil) to provide the data, analytical approaches, and tools necessary to sufficiently understand the complex relationship between fire and the environment and support decision-making to protect public health. We propose a research agenda that builds foundational science on the following topics: the impacts of wildland fire on air, land, and water and the resulting environmental exposures and public health risks; the risk communication and interventions needed to support public health protection; and the tools, information, and resources needed to aid in the building of communities that are resilient to the impacts of wildland fires. Conducting research that addresses these identified gaps can provide the scientific information needed to reduce environmental exposures, protect public health, and support the building of resilient communities that can prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildland fire.