As the drought persists in Utah, we are seeing the effects it has on many aspects of our lives. It impacts agriculture, recreation and tourism, as well as our health and safety. The latter is largely a result of drought-related impacts on air quality from wildfires, fugitive dust and “toxic dust” from the desiccated lakebed of the Great Salt Lake.
Wildfires are not new to the West during summer months, but the wildfire season started early this year, and the lack of rainfall has further added to the abundance of combustible material and has hampered the efforts of firefighters to extinguish fires.
Wildfire smoke pollution is made up of particulate matter, gasses (e.g. carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone) and volatile organic compounds. Wildfires are strongly associated with exacerbation of asthma, especially in children; adults with underlying heart and lung disease are especially vulnerable to smoke-related health risks, including death.
Fugitive dust is primarily small mineral dust particles suspended in the air. The term is used to denote dust that “escapes” into the surrounding atmosphere, largely because of dry conditions where the lack of moisture content in the ground fails to hold the soil together. Sources of fugitive dust include roadways, open fields, storage piles and construction sites. Fugitive dust includes both large (PM10) and small (PM 2.5) particles, and these particles can travel up to 100s of miles. Larger particles may be trapped by the nose, but smaller dust particles can make it into airways and blood vessels causing lung and heart disease.
Toxic dust is really a form of fugitive dust, and the drought is creating a toxic dustbin out of the Great Salt Lake. The exposed bed of the Great Salt Lake is a source of heavy metals including arsenic, lithium and cobalt, among others; and heavy metal exposure is associated with a host of health conditions including cancer and Alzheimer’s Disease.
It is everyone’s responsibility to be informed about the air quality where they live and based on that information, make decisions about outdoor activities for themselves and their families. When the AQI (air quality index) exceeds 100, it is unhealthy for sensitive groups. An AQI between 150-200 is unhealthy for all, and above 200, very unhealthy. People with underlying heart and lung disease, pregnant women and young children should limit outdoor time, and contact their health care provider if they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain. Even healthy people should consider indoor exercise when the AQI exceeds 100. Download the airnow.gov or visit the air.utah.gov website to view the air quality where you live.
Finally, to minimize these health impacts, there are strategies Utahns can implement to conserve water and reduce human caused wildfires that will in turn help improve summer air.
Gov. Spencer Cox has asked all Utahns to “slow the flow.” We can make the biggest difference by limiting landscape watering, which is estimated to use 60% of culinary water! Visit slowtheflow.org for simple ways you can conserve water.
Preventing human caused wildfires has taken center stage this year with limitations on fireworks and open fires in parks and campgrounds. Additional strategies include caution with target shooting and securing trailer chains to prevent sparks and subsequent fires in dry grasses.
The small choices we make every day affect our air.
Elizabeth Joy, M.D.
Elizabeth Joy, M.D., MPH, is chair of the Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) Board of Directors.
Kim Frost | UCAIR
Kim Frost is executive director of UCAIR.