Our Health in Wildfire Season

Forest_fire_image.jpeg

We are experiencing temperatures in the upper 90’s and even higher throughout Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, and wildfires are already burning throughout our state and region. While no one wants to repeat the severe air quality crisis of last summer, we also know that it is essential to be prepared.

That's why we organized the Our Health in Wildfire Season webinar on June 28th. We were joined by sponsors including Neighbors for Clean Air, the American Lung Association, the Braided River Campaign, and 350PDX, and the program featured the following expert speakers:

  • Erika Moseson, MD, lung and ICU doctor, Pulmonary Section Chair at Legacy Emanuel Hospital, who discussed what wildfire smoke is, how it affects our health in both the short and long term, who is most vulnerable to its effects, and possible modes of protection
  • Elliott Gall, PhD, Assistant Professor, Engineering at Portland State, who covered how smoke enters the home and ways to create a cleaner air shelter within your home, including different types of filters and air purifiers; and
  • Ira Cuello-Martinez, Policy Climate Associate for PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, in English, Northwest Tree-planters and Farmworkers), who covered how outdoor workers can take measures to minimize exposure to dangerous smoky conditions.

View recordings of the webinar, available in English and in Spanish, below:

Our Health in Wildfire Season webinar recording (English language version)


Nuestra salud en la temporada de incendios (Spanish language version)