Ask Dr. Shankar is a monthly feature that answers your most pressing questions about the health impacts associated with exposure to air pollution. Dr. Shankar Prasad is an executive fellow with CCA and has spent five years in clinical practice, three years conducting research on the health effects of air pollution and 22 years in environmental health research and policy development. Learn more about Dr. Prasad.
We encourage people from all corners of California to submit their air quality/health-related questions to askthedoc@coalitionforcleanair.org. We will answer one question each month and post it on our Ask Dr Shankar page.
Our first question of the series involves California Wildfires and their health effects.
Q: Dear Dr. Shankar,
I live in an area that is susceptible to wildfires. Every year, fires rip through the mountains, ravaging vegetation and homes and wreaking havoc on my ability to breathe. What are some of the health impacts associated with wildfires; and why are they happening more frequently and with greater intensity?
Sincerely, Hector Santa Cruz, California
Read Dr. Shankar’s answer.
