After the Smoke: Wildfire Cleanup & Air Quality Concerns with Afif El-Hasan, MD

As wildfires become more frequent and intense in certain areas of the world, understanding and addressing the health impacts on those affected by wildfires is crucial in pulmonology care. The increase in wildfire incidence is an escalating health concern and can greatly impact air quality.

In the latest episode of Lungcast, host Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association (ALA), discussed this topic on the monthly respiratory health podcast series. Rizzo spoke with Afif El-Hasan, MD, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente and a Board Director and Chair of Public Policy Committee at the ALA.

El-Hasan serves as a member of the Culturally Responsive Care Committee for Kaiser Permanente that aims to address the cultural/linguistic aspects of patient care. Before being elected to the ALA National Board in October 2022, he served as a board member on the State Governing Board of the ALA of California from 2011-2017 after serving on the Orange County Leadership Board of the ALA for more than 10 years. He is also a member of the Environmental Justice Advisory Group at the Southern California Air Quality Management District, which addresses poor air quality in low-income areas of Southern California.

In this episode of Lungcast, the Rizzo and El-Hasan discuss the health impacts of wildfires considering their increased frequency and severity in recent years. El-Hasan noted their immediate health impacts on people with pulmonary diseases as well as potential long-term concerns, including cardiovascular risk and the risk of developing respiratory diseases. He also shared some protective measures for those affected by wildfires.

“If you can't smell the smoke, it doesn't mean you're necessarily safe. Listen to what the specialists and experts are saying in the area, and make sure that you're mindful to take any protective measures that are recommended and take it extremely serious, and make sure that you are mindful to minimize the amount of time that you spend in areas where there are these toxins,” El-Hasan stressed.

Lungcast is a monthly respiratory news podcast series hosted by Albert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer of the ALA, and produced by HCPLive.

Subscribe to Lungcast on Spotify here, or listen to the episode below.