Successful Aging in a Time of Wildfires Field Project

Successful Aging in a Time of Wildfires was a pilot research study conducted in the Summer of 2024, during which 50 PurpleAir monitors were installed in 25 selected homes that are a subset of the larger research project. This study was designed to examine the health implications of wildfire smoke exposure on older adults residing in Northern California. Over 1.4 million wildfires have occurred in the U.S. since 2000, burning an average of 7 million acres annually. These wildfire emissions pose significant threats to human health, contributing to over 15,000 deaths per year and exacerbating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, particularly among vulnerable populations. Our main hypothesis is that prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke negatively impacts the aging process, increasing the risk of chronic health conditions and mortality among older adults.

California is at a heightened risk of wildfires; this pilot study examines data collected through 50 PurpleAir monitors employed in various homes in the Northern California region. Specifically, we are using the PurpleAir Classic Air Quality Monitor for outdoor measurements and the PurpleAir Zen Air Quality Monitor for indoor measurements. In addition to analyzing these PurpleAir data, we will model the homes using the NIST CONTAM model to evaluate the transmission of wildfire smoke from outdoor air to indoor environments through natural ventilation and infiltration. The project's goal is to share preliminary data and refine estimates of outdoor and indoor concentrations of wildfire emissions among study participants. Specifically, we aim to validate outdoor and indoor exposure measures to chemically explicit wildfire emissions and estimate the formation, duration, concentration, and frequency of exposure to health-relevant pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5), PM10, and ozone. This study will provide crucial insights into the health impacts of wildfire smoke on aging, with the potential to inform public health interventions and policies aimed at protecting older adults in wildfire-prone regions.