Oregon’s Hearth and Heartbreak: The Lingering Costs of Wildfire Smoke
By an Oregonian, for Oregonians
Wildfire Smoke: An Unexpected Killer
Researchers at Oregon State University have uncovered startling new findings, revealing that the particulate matter from wildfire smoke is contributing to increased mortality rates long after the fires themselves have been extinguished.
Smoke and ash from our all-too-regular wildfires, it seems, pack a punch that extends far beyond the immediate devastation. These deadly particles linger in our air, insidiously seeping into our homes and our lungs.
The Oregon Context: A State on Fire
To understand the significance of the findings, one must understand Oregon’s intimate relationship with fire. Every Oregonian knows the routine: as summer advances, the ever-looming threat of wildfires grows, casting a smoky pallor over the state’s heady summer days.
For coastal communities like Brookings and others in the Rogue Valley, fire seasons blur into a seemingly unending haze of ash. East of the Cascades, towns such as La Pine and Sisters, nestled against incendiary pine forests, live each summer in a state of readiness. Meanwhile, larger inland cities like Eugene and Bend deal with the trickle-down effects of sky-high particulate levels.
Uneven Impacts Across Communities
Gary Couture, a retired firefighter from Klamath Falls, reflected on the ubiquity of the issue, saying, “We’re all breathing the same smoke. Doesn’t matter if you’re in Lakeview, Medford, or Portland, your lungs don’t give a damn about county lines.”
Indeed, the study underlines a stark truth: wildfire smoke does not discriminate. However, the overall impact varies across our state’s diverse populace. For elderly residents, individuals with pre-existing respiratory diseases, or marginalized communities with limited access to healthcare, simply breathing can become a risky proposition.
Our indigenous tribes, often living in rural areas most affected by wildfires due to ancestral land rights, are disproportionately impacted. Lila Wistrand, a health advocate from the Coquille Indian Tribe in Coos Bay, stresses the importance of mitigating these intersecting burdens. “The earth is our first mother, and she’s hurting. And when she hurts, her children hurt,” Wistrand shared.
Oregon’s Future: Smoky Summers and Public Health
These findings pose some hard questions about Oregon’s future. Undeniably, we are dealing with the consequences of climate change. Our summers are hotter and drier, and our winters aren’t sufficiently compensating with rainfall. This cycle primes our forests for wildfires, turning our beloved state into a tinderbox.
Can we afford to dismiss these increasingly smoky summers as inconvenient inevitabilities? Or can we channel our uniquely Oregonian resilience to address both the root causes and the devastating aftereffects?
An Oregonian’s Perspective
This recent study shines a spotlight on an issue that needs urgent attention, not just from our state representatives, but from every resident of our fine state. We have the data. We have the lived experiences. It’s time to breathe life into meaningful change. Or perhaps, the cost of inaction is simply too high. We know that Oregonians take care of Oregonians, a creed that extends beyond wildfire season.
As an Oregonian, you’ve witnessed the smoke that blankets our valleys and blots out our summer skies. You’ve tasted the ash that it brings, and felt its impact in your eyes and lungs. Now, the fight against wildfires is more than just about preserving our verdant forests—it’s about safeguarding the very air we breathe. Protecting our environment and each other, that’s as Oregonian as it gets.
—
This perspective piece was inspired by reporting from [rssfeeds.kgw.com](https://rssfeeds.kgw.com/~/918180410/0/kgw/local~OSU-researchers-link-thousands-of-deaths-to-the-aftermath-of-wildfires). For the original reporting, visit the [source article](https://rssfeeds.kgw.com/~/918180410/0/kgw/local~OSU-researchers-link-thousands-of-deaths-to-the-aftermath-of-wildfires).