The World of Sports: Wildfires pose threat to respiratory health at sporting events 


When I told my friends and family that I was leaving Tennessee to go to school in California, I was constantly warned to be wary of traffic, earthquakes and wildfires. I would roll my eyes upon hearing these cautionary tales, doubting that my life in California would ever be significantly affected by earthquakes or fires — although, I was rather worried about the traffic. 

However, as the fall set on my freshman year, there were days I would wake up and smell something burning. I would look out of my window (shoutout seventh floor of Birnkrant) and see hazy clouds of smoke hanging in the sky. That 2019 wildfire season, which was relatively quiet compared to other years, saw over 250,000 acres of land burned and at least three fatalities. While I was fortunate that the fires weren’t affecting me in any particularly harmful ways, I certainly became aware of the dangers they impose. 

Wildfires are occurring more and more frequently. The five year average has nearly doubled since 2008, largely because of a redhot 2020 fire season which saw well over 3.5 million acres burned. 

Humans are responsible for 84% of wildfires in the United States, according to Tess Joosse, a writer at Science Magazine. While lightning strikes and dry thunderstorms cause fires, they are seasonal threats. A forgotten fire pit or sparked powerline could ignite a wildfire at any moment. 

Wildfires have a mixed effect on the environment. By heating the soil, fire triggers seed germination, leading to more vegetation for animals to consume. However, wildfires also can burn down forests that can take hundreds of years to recover. As seen in the 2020 fires in Australia, animals can fall victim to the flames, with over 3 billion animals killed or displaced as a result of these widespread fires. 

It isn’t only the environment that is suffering because of wildfires. In 2020, over 600,000 Californians were displaced from their homes, over twice as many in 2019. Wildfires are expensive, costing California taxpayers an estimated $1.3 billion since July 2021, not to mention the personal devastation they can cause. 

The pollution posed by wildfires can also affect our ability to be active outside. When I was smelling smoke in my freshman dorm, it was likely harming my lungs. The increase in air pollution that wildfires cause can lead to eye irritation or a cough, but also more serious conditions such as bronchitis and heart failure. This provides a challenge to Californians, who want to enjoy the surplus of outdoor activities that the state has to offer year-round. If you have preexisting health conditions or are (wisely) concerned about your long-term lung health, the wildfire season can take away your ability to enjoy the outdoors. 

Athletes are proven to be more at risk of inhaling smoke and pollution because more air is inhaled through the mouth while exercising. The Air Quality Index measures the amount of pollutants on a scale of one to 500. A safe AQI is considered between 50 and 100. However, the NFL and NCAA allow players to compete when the AQI is as high as 200. 

In 2018, a wildfire in Northern California known as Camp Fire caused problems for the NFL teams in the state. The San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and the then Oakland Raiders all had practices shortened or canceled during the peak of the Camp Fire crisis. During the Monday Night Football game between the 49ers and New York Giants, smoke from the nearby fires clouded the 49ers’ stadium in Santa Clara. Players on the sideline could be seen wearing oxygen masks, a clear indication that the air was not safe to inhale. 

As the climate continues to heat and dry up, wildfires will increasingly occur, resulting in many more situations in which the AQI isn’t safe to hold practices or games. Professional sports will suffer and be forced to spend money on more indoor facilities equipped with powerful evaporative humidifiers that don’t release any harmful chemicals in the air and can improve the indoor air quality.  

High school, club and recreational sports will suffer significantly more than teams at the professional level. With budgets a fraction of the size as those of the MLB or NFL, more practices and games will be canceled in order to protect the players. Wildfire season occurs largely in the fall, when football is taking place. High school football programs will likely need to shorten their seasons or start later in the year in order to account for time missed due to fires. 

Despite what Smokey the Bear says, it’s not just you who can prevent wildfires. They’re inevitable and will occur more frequently in our changing environment. It’s important to follow fire safety protocols, especially when in a dry or forested setting, but it will be difficult for our society to significantly decrease the number of wildfires each year. Sports, as well as the rest of the world, will have to adapt to account for the dangers that wildfires present. 

Patrick Warren is a junior exploring the relationship between sports and the climate. His column “The World of Sports” runs every other Wednesday.