HUMAN HEALTH ASSESSMENT SUPPORT FOR THE 2016 HORSE RIVER WILDFIRE RESPONSE. Déirdre Treissman April 4 th 2018

Transcription

1 HUMAN HEALTH ASSESSMENT SUPPORT FOR THE 2016 HORSE RIVER WILDFIRE RESPONSE Déirdre Treissman April 4 th 2018

2 Acknowledgements Alberta Health Team: Merry Turtiak Jennifer Graydon Lindsay Smith-Munoz Millennium Team: Nailish Samanani Brandon Smith Lisa Giles Stephanie Brunnhofer Brendan Schiewe Shelley Morris Megan Reichert Weiping Zhang Jason Lambert Randy Rudolph Ian Mitchell Cory Kartz

3 SOURCE: MNP 2016 Background MAY 1 ST FIRE IGNITED A FEW KM OUTSIDE FORT MCMURRAY. MAY 3 RD MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR ALL FORT MCMURRAY RESIDENTS. MAY 4 TH PROVINCIAL STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED.

4 SOURCE: MNP 2016

5 Source: Globalnews.ca The Beast Source: Maclean s Response effort: 4,161persons. Evacuees: 88,000 persons. Damaged: 2,000 structures.

6 Objectives Rapidly and succinctly provide answers to human health based questions received from the community and other responders in the aftermath of the wildfire. Work together with all regulatory bodies involved in the emergency response Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) Alberta Health Services (AHS) Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB).

7 Examples of Tasks Numerous literature searches. Rapid assessment of ash and soil data from burned and unburned urban areas immediately after the wildfire. Rapid assessment of air data collected during the wildfire. Technical support for the post-remediation soil sampling program.

8 Literature Search- subjects Human health concerns due to forest fires. Public health action levels for wildfires. Chemicals typical to ash, soot and air from wildfires and urban fires. Effect of forest fires on soil properties.

9 Literature Search Actions Information identified was: Rapidly summarized. Reported to AH. Use to support AH in the communication of potential risks to human health from the wildfire.

10 Rapid Ash and Soil Assessment Evaluation of potential human health risk associated with exposure to ash and impacted soil: Compared to existing Alberta soil guidelines. Calculated human direct soil contact guidelines for those chemicals detected in ash and soil with no Tier 1 or 2 guidelines. Summaries (written, tables and figures)

11 Ash Analysis An assessment of ash sample results indicated that: High ph - potential for skin and respiratory irritation and burns; Heavy metals (arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and lead) present concentrations above health-based soil screening values; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and dioxins and furans at concentrations above health-based soil screening values.

12 Ash Data Summary PARAMETER CLASS PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 1 GUIDELINES PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 2 HUMAN DIRECT SOIL CONTACT GUIDELINES 1 PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS 83.5% PHC results 78.4% benzene results 0% PHC results 0% benzene results SALINITY 100% salinity results 80.3% ph results No guidelines METALS 100% metals results 62.6% arsenic results 69.1% metals results 58.5% arsenic results PAHS 97.5% PAH results 96.7% naphthalene results 0% B[a]P equivalents 0% PAH results 0% naphthalene results 0% B[a]P equivalents PCBS 0% PCB results 0% PCB results DIOXINS AND FURANS No guideline 68.9% total toxic equivalents results ASBESTOS No asbestos fibres detected No asbestos fibres detected

13 Soil Analysis Soil data from burned and unburned areas indicated: No exceedances of human health guidelines (Tier 2) from either burned or unburned areas. Some elevated salinities (indicated fair to poor soil quality). Ecological (but not human health) guidelines for PAH were exceeded in some samples.

14 Soil Data Summary PARAMETER CLASS PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 1 GUIDELINES PROPORTION OF SAMPLES WITH EXCEEDANCES OF TIER 2 HUMAN DIRECT SOIL CONTACT GUIDELINES 1 PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS 20.0% PHC results 0% benzene results 0% PHC results 0% benzene results SALINITY 50.0% salinity results 16.7% ph results No guidelines METALS 0% metals results 0% arsenic results 0% metals results 0% arsenic results PAHS 40% PAH results 0% naphthalene results 0% PAH results 0% naphthalene results PCBS 0% PCB results 0% PCB results

15 Overall Conclusions Some metals and organic compounds in urban ash due to incineration of manmade materials, specifically fences and decks built with preserved wood.

16 Soil Sampling Locations

17 Preliminary Air Assessment 5 permanent stations, AEP mobile air monitoring lab (MAML) and 4 temporary stations. Times series plot of 2015 and 2016 data. Compared to Health based guidelines.

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19 Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 ) 10-Minute Average Fort McKay (AMS1)

20 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) 1-hour Average Fort McKay (AMS1)

21 Total reduced Sulphurs (TRS) 1- Hour Average Fort McKay (AMS1)

22 Continuous Measurements (MAML station)

23 Air Quality Health Index (AQ[H]I) Timeseries AQ[H]I 1000 AQ[H]I-AMS01 AQ[H]I-AMS06 AQ[H]I-AMS07 AQ[H]I-AMS14 Health Risk is Low (AQ[H]I = 1-3) Health Risk is Moderate (AQ[H]I = 4-6) 100 Health Risk is High (AQ[H]I = 7-10) Apr 30-Apr 5-May 10-May 15-May 20-May 25-May 30-May Date (dd-mmm) Air Quality (Health) Index (AQ[H]I). The Alberta Air Quality Index (AQI) value is presented whenever the calculated AQI is a value of 6 or greater. In all other cases the AQHI is displayed.

24 Other Tasks Asbestos analysis (bulk ash samples and air). Post remediation soil sampling program. Screening risk assessment of potential impact of ash on local vegetables (home gardens). Assessment of concentrations of fire retardant chemicals in ash.

25 Questions

26 Sources MNP A Review of the 2016 Horse River Wildfire. Prepared for Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Preparedness and Response. RMWB Wildfire Recovery Plan. Government of Alberta Horse River Wildfire May 2016 Updated Preliminary Air Quality Assessment. Alberta Health. Alberta Government. TBD. Horse River Wildfire Response Environmental Monitoring, Public Health Assessment and Ecological Screening. Technical Document.