The Limits of Livability

The document examines the under-recognized health risks of wildfire smoke in Canada, noting that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of fires. It highlights specific respiratory and cardiovascular impacts, the vulnerability of certain populations, and the inadequacy of current public health systems to handle prolonged smoke events. The brief calls for improved emergency planning, the protection of Indigenous people, and the alignment of Canadian federal climate policy with the Paris Agreement.

• Wildfire smoke contains pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds, with particulate matter (PM2.5) capable of affecting every organ in the body.
• In British Columbia, respiratory and cardiovascular health impacts were observed within one hour of exposure to PM2.5 during wildfire seasons.
• A study of the 2014 Yellowknife fires found that asthma cases doubled and salbutamol prescriptions increased by approximately 50%. Additionally, every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was linked to an 11% increase in ER visits for asthma, an 11% increase in COPD-related hospital admissions, and a 6% increase for pneumonia.
• Vulnerable groups include children, adults over 65, people with pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, outdoor workers, and people experiencing homelessness. Females are more sensitive to asthma-related outcomes, and maternal exposure to PM2.5 and carbon monoxide during the second and third trimesters is associated with low birth weight.
• Canada is warming faster than many other global regions; under a mid-range greenhouse emission scenario, wildfires in Canada are projected to increase by 75% by 2100.
• The 2018 fire season in Alberta and British Columbia was the worst on record, with the BC Wildfire Service reporting 2,117 fires that burnt over 1.3 million hectares and cost CA$ 615 million in suppression.
• Current public health systems are ill-equipped for prolonged wildfire events, as evidenced by smoke entering a hospital operating theatre during the Yellowknife fires, rendering it unusable for several days.

APA

MacGuire, F., & Sergeeva, M. (2021). The Limits of Livability. Global Climate and Health Alliance. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/limits_liability_country-report_bushfires-canada_EN_final.pdf

Chicago

MacGuire, Frances, and Milena Sergeeva. The Limits of Livability. Global Climate and Health Alliance, 2021. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/limits_liability_country-report_bushfires-canada_EN_final.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=MacGuire |first1=Frances |last2=Sergeeva |first2=Milena |title=The Limits of Livability |publisher=Global Climate and Health Alliance |date=2021 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/limits_liability_country-report_bushfires-canada_EN_final.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{macguire2021limits, author = {MacGuire, Frances and Sergeeva, Milena}, title = {{The Limits of Livability}}, institution = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2021}, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/limits_liability_country-report_bushfires-canada_EN_final.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }