Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe as the global climate changes.
During wildfires, public health practitioners and emergency managers are faced with the daunting task of protecting the public from the threat of smoke- and fire-related illness. The success of this task requires advanced planning and multi-agency coordination.
This Guideline describes how the BC Health and Smoke Exposure (HASE) Coordination Committee supports response to a wildfire smoke event that may impact the health of a population in BC.
This document provides recommendations on actions that schools should take before and during wildfire smoke events.
To assist public health decision makers in BC, BCCDC struck an international working group to develop consensus guidelines for use during wildfire smoke events. This guidance was one of the products from this working group. It describes the wildfire smoke hazard, identifies the health effects that are associated with wildfire smoke exposure and the populations that are susceptible; provides BC-specific guidance about tools for situational awareness (smoke and health surveillance); summarizes the evidence for effectiveness of intervention measures to protect public health.
The international working group also brought together experts tasked with assessing the evidence related to wildfire smoke and public health. Evidence reviews were completed to address the following key topic areas:
On June 9, 2026, Dr. Sarah Henderson presented at the BCCDC Grand Rounds to review the most recent scientific evidence, including the evolving wildfire situation, the growing epidemiologic literature, and evidence-based interventions necessary to protect public health from the threats of wildfires and smoke. Recent studies suggest the public health effects of wildfire smoke are immediate and long-lasting, and likely to be the costliest impact of the changing climate in Canada.
- Observed and predicted air quality
- Observed and predicted asthma-related health outcomes for BC Health Service Delivery Areas (HSDAs) and Local Health Areas (LHAs)
The forecast predictions cover the day of and the day after. This information is intended to help BC public health professionals and the public anticipate and prepare for wildfire smoke events.
