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Wildfires Air Filtration

Rapid Review Update 1: What effect does using indoor air filtration or air cleaning during combustion-derived air pollution episodes have on human health endpoints?

The evidence is uncertain whether air filtration during combustion-derived air pollution episodes, such as wildfires, has an effect on health.

Citation:

Neil-Sztramko, S.E., Traynor, R.L., Camargo, K., Leung, T., Tutt, E., Dobbins, M. (2025, May 30). Rapid Review Update 1: What effect does using indoor air filtration or air cleaning during combustion-derived air pollution episodes have on human health endpoints? National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools’ Rapid Evidence Service. https://nccmt.ca/pdfs/res/wildfire-airfiltration

Public health topic area:

Public Health

Review question:
Population
General population exposed in residential environments (both indoor and outdoor), clean air spaces, public/institutional buildings (e.g., schools, daycares, malls, libraries, community centres, healthcare centres, long-term care centres, etc.), vehicles
Intervention
Portable air cleaners (including DIY air cleaners); air or in-duct filtration; car filters/other vehicles’ filters (during fire event); or ionizers, plasma, ozone generators, etc.
Comparisons
No air filtration or air cleaning
Outcomes
Any direct or indirect, acute or long-term health outcomes; use of emergency services, emergency room visits, or hospitalizations; or cellular-level outcomes* (e.g., inflammation markers, oxidative stress)
Setting
Any country
Context
During combustion-derived air pollution episodes that may be caused by fire (wildland, coal mine fires, peat fires, interface fires, landscape fires, agricultural fires, prescribed burns, industrial fires, landfill fires, tire fires, any multi-day structural fires (e.g., 9/11), and residential wood combustion (i.e., wood stoves), including studies that use source attribution methods)
Search Updated:

Apr 23, 2025

Review Completed:

May 30, 2025

Previous versions:
Version 1
Dec 20, 2024
Current Version #2 Access the review
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