UCLA

The advancement of new exposure assessment techniques has facilitated the development of several wildland fire smoke datasets employing varied smoke estimation methods. Exposure to wildland fire smoke can increase respiratory health risks, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly. This study compares estimates of wildland fire smoke fine particulate matter (“smoke PM2.5”) in California from 2008 to 2018 across three datasets and quantifies differences in the attributable respiratory health burden among elderly populations from utilizing different smoke datasets. Smoke estimates from Childs and Casey, which rely on similar input datasets, were more similar than those from CMAQ in terms of correlation, spatial distributions, and temporal trends. Approximately 1,300-5,400 respiratory morbidity impacts among the elderly are attributable to smoke PM2.5 in California during the study period. Using different smoke datasets and dose-response values yielded discrepancies in health impact estimates, with larger discrepancies between CMAQ with Childs and Casey. Differences in smoke PM2.5 and health impact estimates can affect future wildland fire policies that rely on these estimates to address health burdens.