Wildfires exacerbate inequalities in indoor pollution exposure

Abstract

Wildfires lead to dramatic increases in fine particulate matter pollution concentrations. Based on the premise that higher-income households purchase more defensive investments to reduce the degree to which outdoor pollution infiltrates indoors, in this study, we investigate how income contributes to outdoor–indoor pollution infiltration rates during wildfire events. Using crowd-sourced data from the PurpleAir Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring Network and econometric models that explore variations in monitor readings over time, we find increases in outdoor pollution lead to significant increases in indoor pollution, but disproportionately so in lower-income areas. The results highlight a new inequality in pollution exposure: not only are outdoor pollution levels higher for lower-income individuals, but indoor pollution levels are higher even for similar outdoor pollution levels.