State senator’s bill takes aim at wildfire smoke impact

Draft legislation calls for state agency data compilation

State Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, who represents the California Fourth Senate District, which includes Inyo and Mono County, has introduced Senate Bill 945 (The Wildfire Smoke and Health Outcomes Data Act), which would allow state agencies to track and monitor air pollution, population exposure, and cases of adverse health outcomes due to wildfire smoke, according to the state senator’s office.

Over the past five years, California has experienced unprecedented wildfire activity that has devastated nearly ten million acres across the state, including areas of the Eastern Sierra. Wildfire smoke has poured in from hundreds of miles away, impacting air quality around regions unaffected by the wildfire itself.

This is a direct result of years of mismanaged forest and wildland strategies that have created a new reality for California – one in which wildfires burn faster and hotter than ever before, presenting grave dangers to the environment and residents, according to Alvarado-Gil.

As a result, many people suffered from health and economic impacts as they have been forced to shelter in place, with businesses and schools shutting down, and other daily operations coming to a halt.

Using compiled data, the appropriate agencies would be able to facilitate research efforts to better understand the negative impacts of wildfire smoke on the environment and California’s population. Currently, there is insufficient data by the state and medical community on these health impacts.

“Ensuring the wellbeing of our communities means understanding the true impact of wildfire smoke,” Alvarado-Gil stated.

The California Council of Science and Technology recently published a report stating that improving the health of California’s forests not only reduces the risk of wildfire, it can also benefit people’s health.