Wildfires increased dramatically over the past decade, leading to increased smoke exposure for many individuals, especially in the American West. These larger and more frequent wildfires have resulted in increased exposure of particulate matter (PM2.5), often labeled as “Very Unhealthy” or even “Hazardous”. Exposure at these levels may result in short-term and/or long-term health effects. Certain vulnerable populations are more at risk, including older adults, infants, pregnant women, people with pre-existing medical conditions and individuals of lower socio-economic status. In order to adequately assess the risk of a population exposed to wildfire smoke, it is important to understand how individuals respond during wildfire smoke events. Recommendations to stay inside, reduce infiltration, and increase infiltration may not be suitable for all households - especially during high heat events. Due to lack of air conditioning units, households may rely on window circulation at nighttime for cooling - which will increase PM 2.5 exposure. Additionally, it is unknown how effective educational strategies have informed the general populace. A survey was developed using the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior (KAB) Framework, which recognizes the interactive relationship between the three KAB dimensions . For example, what a person knows may affect their attitudes about the topic, and how they feel about the topic may influence behavior. By evaluating all three aspects a broader understanding of the impact of wildfire smoke can be investigated. The survey uses a mixed methods approach collecting both quantitative (likert-scale) and open-ended qualitative questions. This paper will give an overview of literature in the development of the survey and present preliminary results. It is expected that the survey will be launched in early 2022 with data analysis by May 2022. Results from this study will inform policy recommendations and will be instrumental for risk assessments for wildfire smoke exposure.
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