Blazing a Trail for Fire Management and Smoke Health Collaboration: Takeaways From the 2024 Rocky Mountain Wildfire Smoke Symposium

Wildfire activity in the United States is increasing due to climate change, land management practices, and human ignitions, reversing decades of air quality progress. Wildfire is an essential process in fire-adapted ecosystems, but fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke poses significant health risks both near the fire source and in communities far from fire-prone areas. Public health and forest management are often viewed as having conflicting goals—reducing smoke exposure versus restoring fire to ecosystems—but opportunities for collaboration exist. We analyzed an interdisciplinary panel discussion from the 2024 Rocky Mountain Wildfire Smoke Symposium (RMWSS) using thematic analysis and the RADaR technique to identify such opportunities. Four major themes emerged: (a) coordinated communication between stakeholders, (b) barriers and facilitators to bridge building across disciplines, (c) impacts of climate change and (d) priorities and perspectives across disciplines. Additionally, we synthesized the panel discussion and audience polling data into a figure that categorizes solutions by perceived investment, impact, and stakeholder responsibility. High impact objectives included advancing climate resilient community infrastructure, expanding resource sharing, and securing full-time equivalent (FTE) funding for smoke specialists and communication liaisons. Collaboration across disciplines, combined with long-term policy that reduces barriers for safe fire management while investing in clean air will be critical to addressing the wildfire crisis.