Wildfires are increasing globally and can affect human health through various routes. These include diseases caused by air pollution, acute injuries, and disruption of healthcare, support networks, and nutrition. For some routes, the risk may depend on individual and community socioeconomic status, quality of housing and local infrastructure.

The aim of this project is to map spatial patterns of wildfire health impact in Africa and investigate geospatial indicators of vulnerability to better understand the inequalities of these impacts. The project will involve the application of methods from spatiotemporal statistics and machine learning to various survey-based and remote sensing-derived data sources, aiming to characterise population exposure and vulnerability.

Duration: 2024-2028

Image: This FIRMS map of Africa from January 31, 2022.  Most of the red dots are small agricultural fires detected by the VIIRS and MODIS sensors. Credit: NASA FIRMS.