Stelios Loukidis, professor of Pulmonology at the School of Medicine of the University of Athens and president of the Hellenic Respiratory Society, spoke about the impact of fires on human health on ERTNews.
Stelios Loukidis.

Regarding the effects of fire on people’s health, he stressed that: “There are effects on people because of fires, which are short, medium, and long-term. These all depend on the time of exposure, and of course, they depend on the underlying disease.

The microparticles produced by fires are much more dangerous than the microparticles that can be produced by any other cause. That is, from combustion, from problems, which may be present in industries or crafts.

Last night, the microparticle levels were about in the neighborhood of close to 75, when the safety limit is 20. Four times above the limit.

The short-term exposure is usually for those who have underlying diseases, because the entry of microparticles can get into a lung that already has a disease, say asthma, and create further inflammation.

The same thing can happen because once they get in and pass into the circulation, they can destabilize a cardiovascular disease. These are the short-term effects that can even lead to an exacerbation of a respiratory disease, a destabilization of a cardiovascular disease.”

Vulnerable groups

He went on to highlight that: “Especially those in vulnerable groups may have symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, feeling dry in the throat, but consider that a patient with an underlying disease can at any time, and we know this all too well, that changes in the environment are a cause of destabilisation.

Particularly in young children or in older people, this can be much more pronounced. Of course, those with chronic illnesses are susceptible, but wear high protection masks, try to avoid moving when a person is next to one on their property or in their residence in their home and try to protect themselves. Let’s be realistic, many times he forgets everything related to protection measures.”

The role of climate change

In addition, he commented on air quality, stating: “In 2026, the European Respiratory Society and the World Health Organization are joining us as Greece in this action. It will be a cause of prevention of chronic respiratory diseases, with the first component in the agenda, the pollution of the environment, or the changes that exist in the environment.

The framework of climate change, which combined with these conditions can lead to the development of chronic diseases, especially in young children, to the presence of higher rates of lung cancer, and what there is from the US experience of the California fires, it can even affect the mental health of people living in the area.”

Conduct guidelines for fire-affected areas

Loukidis specifically referred to those with underlying diseases, claiming:

“What we need to do is to avoid unnecessary movement, that is the first basic thing, the surgical mask that we see a lot of people wearing, or we see too many people wearing a scarf, does not offer any protection. The only mask that can partially protect, and that is not fully, is the well-known high protection mask that we learned about during the coronavirus pandemic.

The other feature is that people with underlying illnesses need to be well regulated in their medication, and any change in symptoms leads them to contact their doctor. The last thing, do indoor recycling and not outdoor recycling in air conditioners, because as you understand what is happening practically outside, we carry it inside the room we are in.

There are also instructions for these cases on the website of the Hellenic Lung Society.”