A new study from McGill University found a higher incidence of lung cancer and brain tumors in people exposed to forest fires. The study, which tracks more than two million Canadians over a 20-year period, is the first to examine how proximity to wildfires can affect cancer risk.
“Fires usually happen in the same places every year, but we know very little about the long-term health consequences of these events. Our study shows that living in close proximity to wildfires can increase the risk of some cancers, “said Scott Weichenthal, an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University.
Published in The Lancet Planetary Health, the study shows that people living within 50 kilometers of forest fires in the last 10 years had a 10% higher incidence of brain tumors and a 4.9% higher incidence of brain cancer. lungs compared to people living further away. .
Impact of climate change on human health
With the changing climate, forest fires are projected to become more widespread, severe and prolonged in the future – and they are increasingly recognized as a global health problem. “Many of the pollutants released by forest fires are known human carcinogens, suggesting that exposure may increase the risk of cancer in humans,” said Jill Corsiac, a doctoral student at Weichenthal’s laboratory who led the analysis.
Forest fires typically occur in such regions each year, and as a result, people living in nearby communities may be exposed to chronic forest fires on a chronic basis, researchers warn.
Remaining harmful pollutants
In addition to the impact on air quality, forest fires also pollute the water, soil and indoor environment. While some pollutants return to normal concentrations shortly after the fire has stopped burning, other chemicals can persist in the environment for long periods of time, including heavy metals and hydrocarbons. “Exposure to harmful pollutants can continue after a period of active combustion through several routes of exposure,” adds Weichenthal.
However, more research is needed to understand the complex mix of environmental pollutants released during forest fires, the researchers note. They also note that further work is needed to develop longer-term assessments of the chronic health effects of forest fires.
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