fire raging above houses
Wildfires, dementia, and disruptions: New challenges

The increasing incidence of wildfires has an impact on all kinds of activities, and according to research presented for the first time at the just-concluded Alzheimer's Association International Conference, wildfires are also having an impact on the health of our brains. By Michelle Russell This year's wildfire season in the western United States is still far from the peak of 2020, when the El Dorado Fire (above) and other fires made it the most destructive wildfire season in the past two decades, according to The New York Times. (Adobe Stock) As I write this, there are nearly 50 large wildfires burning across the Western United States, including the Park Fire north of Sacramento, which in just one week has grown to become the fifth largest fire in California history. Experts say record high temperatures across much of the West have led to "classic fire conditions." New York Times“Climate change is causing heat waves in the region to become more intense…