🔥 Prescribed Burns & Vulnerable Communities: What We Need to Talk About 🔥

It's been smokey for the last few days in the Calhoun County area, and if you monitor your AQI- You will notice it has been on yellow for the last few days. There's actually a couple of wildfires but a prescribed burning of thousands of acres is currently happening in the Talladega Forest...

Prescribed burns are an important wildfire prevention and land management tool but they can create real health risks for vulnerable populations if not planned with equity in mind.

I. Who’s most affected by smoke exposure?

• Children and older adults

• People with asthma, COPD, or heart disease

• Pregnant people

• Outdoor workers

• Low-income households and communities of color

• Communities already burdened by environmental hazards

II. Why smoke matters (even when burns are planned):

Prescribed burns release fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can trigger:

• Asthma attacks

• ER visits for respiratory and cardiac issues

• Eye, throat, and lung irritation