Human Heath Risk

Human Health Risks are impacts that can cause harm to the health of humans.

• Wildfires can cause a human health risk from heat causing burns and can also cause long distance and long term damage from the smoke associated with the fires. Smoke and particulate from fires can travel thousands of miles.

• More Powerful Storms can cause damage to humans for a number of reasons:

  • • Blizzard conditions can cause freezing

    • High winds can harm humans when there is damage to property or if trees fall

    • Large quantities or long term precipitation can cause flooding

    • Transportation accidents (plane and car crashes)

• Heatwaves or increased temperatures over a period of time can cause:

  • • Heat stroke

    • Sun burn

    • Sun poisoning

• Freshwater Scarcity can cause dehydration. The human body requires plenty of water to make sure systems work properly.

• Flooding can cause the following problems:

  • • Contamination of potable water

    • Risk of drowning

    • Hypothermia

Now that you know a bit more about this climate change-related problem....