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The Midwest Newsroom is a partnership between NPR and member stations to provide investigative journalism and in-depth reporting with a focus on Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Midwest hospitals see an uptick in respiratory cases as wildfire smoke swirls in the region

Wildfires in Canada blow a smokey haze across parts of the Midwest, including Kansas City, Missouri, creating breathing problems for sensitive residents.
Carlon Moreno
/
KCUR
Wildfires in Canada blow a smokey haze across parts of the Midwest, including Kansas City, Missouri, creating breathing problems for sensitive residents.

Some healthcare providers in the Midwest say they are seeing more respiratory illnesses in the past few days possibly related to the wildfires in Canada. Air quality across the Midwest dipped to concerning levels beginning Tuesday.

In Iowa, providers at MercyOne clinics around Des Moines say more patients than usual are showing up with symptoms in line with air pollution, including exacerbated asthma and COPD.

In Madison, Wisconsin, a spokesperson for SSM Health St. Mary鈥檚 Hospital says its pulmonologist has seen an increase in patients with COPD and long-term lung conditions experiencing breathing irritations.

A representative for Nebraska Medicine clinics says providers have not seen a significant increase, yet.

As for when the air should clear, the EPA says it depends on how long the wildfires last.

EPA Physical Scientist Lance Avey said air quality this time of year already is lower because of ozone issues in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska 鈥 Region 7 that Avey oversees.

鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely seeing high air quality impacts in the Midwest and in Region 7 that are potentially being impacted by the Canadian wildfire smoke,鈥 Avey said. 鈥淏ut its also mixed in there with our typical summertime conditions.鈥

That means people who are sensitive to changes in air quality may experience health effects.

An estimated 136 fires rage near Quebec, along with more than 400 other wildfires across Canada, according to the , a nonprofit organization in Quebec that monitors wildfires.

Smoke from the Canada fires has hammered air quality in places like New York and caused hazy skies and reduced visibility.

鈥淭here are numerous large fires lots of uncontrolled fires up there 鈥 as long as they鈥檙e still burning there鈥檚 going to be the potential to impact air quality in the U.S. and the Midwest,鈥 Avey said. 鈥淚t's the weather pattern that can change from day-to-day, week-to-week that are going to drive the impact to areas of the U.S.鈥

Avey said while the weather pattern currently is moving the lion鈥檚 share of the wildfire smoke and particulate matter to the northeast portion of the U.S., a change in the wind could put the Midwest in danger.

鈥淭hat has the ability to shift and we may see greater impacts in the Midwest,鈥 Avey said.

Particulate problems

Air pollution from wildfires is a growing health risk, according to Angela Tin, National Senior Director of the American Lung Association.

鈥淭he wildfire is different from a prescribed burn,鈥 Tin said. 鈥淭he temperature is uncontrolled, the fuel is uncontrolled because different types of materials are burning. So the smoke is going up in the air and depending on the wind and terrain it comes down in unpredictable areas.鈥

Tin said she鈥檚 concerned that the fires are spreading particulate matter across long distances. She said that鈥檚 making things worse for the Midwest,

鈥淭he fine particulates find their way deep into the body and deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream,鈥 Tin said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why it's a respiratory and cardiovascular concern.鈥

She added there are short-term and long-term effects to exposure to the particles, including chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function, lung cancer, and in some cases, heart disease.

With the wildfires in mind, Tin said people should try to limit their time outside when air quality is poor and stay up to date on alerts with the EPA鈥檚 . She said people who have respiratory issues can also use air purifiers while in their homes, as heavy wildfire smoke can often make its way inside homes.

Kristofor Husted contributed to this report.

The is an in-depth and investigative journalism collaboration including KCUR, 漏 2024 外网天堂, Iowa Public Radio, Nebraska Public Media and NPR.

Kavahn Mansouri is the Investigative Reporter for the NPR Midwest Newsroom based in St. Louis.