Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe across British Columbia as the climate gets hotter and drier. While smoke exposure is known to be associated with acute health effects, far less is known about how wildfire disasters affect health before a baby is even born. Pregnancy is a particularly sensitive period, when rapid development may make the body more vulnerable to environmental stress. Currently, most research has focused on adults, leaving a major gap in understanding how prenatal wildfire exposure could shape children’s health as they grow.

This project aims to understand how exposure to wildfire smoke during pregnancy may influence early childhood health and development. Led by Dr. Michael Kobor at the University of British Columbia, the study brings together experts in genomics, child health and environmental exposure to examine how these early exposures may become “biologically embedded” in the body.

The team will study a cohort of 1,200 children born in British Columbia. Using mothers’ residential postal codes during pregnancy, researchers will estimate wildfire smoke and disaster exposure. They will then analyze routinely collected newborn dried blood spots to measure biological markers such as DNA methylation, genetic variation and indicators of inflammation. These data will be securely linked with provincial health records through Health Data Platform BC, allowing researchers to follow children’s health and development over time.

The project will generate new evidence on how prenatal wildfire exposure relates to outcomes such as respiratory illness, allergies and developmental conditions. Findings will help inform public health guidance and clinical care for pregnant people and infants during wildfire season, with the potential to improve preparedness, protect vulnerable families and support a more resilient health system in British Columbia.