Long-term exposure to wildland fire smoke PM2.5 and mortality in the contiguous United States.

Despite the substantial evidence on the health effects of short-term exposure to ambient fine particles (PM2.5), including increasing studies focusing on those from wildland fire smoke, the impacts of long-term wildland fire smoke PM2.5 exposure remain unclear. We investigated the association between long-term exposure to wildland fire smoke PM2.5 and nonaccidental mortality and mortality from a wide range of specific causes in all 3,108 counties in the contiguous United States, 2007 to 2020. Controlling for nonsmoke PM2.5, air temperature, and unmeasured spatial and temporal confounders, we found a nonlinear association between 12-mo moving average concentration of smoke PM2.5 and monthly nonaccidental mortality rate. Relative to a month with the long-term smoke PM2.5 exposure below 0.1 µg/m3, nonaccidental mortality increased by 0.16 to 0.63 and 2.11 deaths per 100,000 people per month when the 12-mo moving average of PM2.5 concentration was of 0.1 to 5 and 5+ µg/m3, respectively. Cardiovascular, ischemic heart disease, digestive, endocrine, diabetes, mental, and chronic kidney disease mortality were all found to be associated with long-term wildland fire smoke PM2.5 exposure. Smoke PM2.5 contributed to approximately 11,415 nonaccidental deaths/y (95% CI: 6,754, 16,075) in the contiguous United States. Higher smoke PM2.5-related increases in mortality rates were found for people aged 65 and above. Positive interaction effects with extreme heat were also observed. Our study identified the detrimental effects of long-term exposure to wildland fire smoke PM2.5 on a wide range of mortality outcomes, underscoring the need for public health actions and communications that span the health risks of both short- and long-term exposure.

High-resolution temperature, salinity and depth data from southeastern Australian estuaries, 2018-2021.

Estuaries are the important interface between the land and sea, providing significant environmental, economic, cultural and social values. However, they face unprecedented pressures including eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, habitat loss, and extreme weather due to climate change. Here we present an open access, quality-controlled water quality dataset collected from twelve diverse estuaries spanning 1000 km along the southeastern Australian coastline. Water depth, temperature and salinity data were collected across two years (2018-2021) capturing drought, wildfire and flood periods, using high accuracy Seabird MicroCAT field sensors located within oyster leases. These fully autonomous instruments collected and transmitted data every 10 minutes before downstream quality checking and uploading onto a public website. Simultaneous, high-resolution, longitudinal environmental data collected across multiple estuaries throughout a range of extreme weather events are exceptionally rare in the Southern Hemisphere, yet provide an invaluable resource for the aquaculture industry, researchers and environmental regulators alike.

Impacts of ash-induced environmental alkalinization on fish physiology, and their implications to wildfire-scarred watersheds.

Changes in land use, a warming climate and increased drought have amplified wildfire frequency and magnitude globally. Subsequent rainfall in wildfire-scarred watersheds washes ash into aquatic systems, increasing water pH and exposing organisms to environmental alkalinization. In this study, 15 or 20 °C-acclimated Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) yearlings were exposed to an environmentally-relevant ash concentration (0.25 % w/v), increasing water pH from ∼8.1 to ∼9.2. Salmon experienced significant disturbance to blood plasma pH (pHe) and red blood cell intracellular pH (RBC pHi) within 1 h, but recovered within 24 h. Impacts on plasma ion concentrations were relatively mild, and plasma glucose increased by 2- to 4-fold at both temperatures. Temperature-specific differences were observed: 20 °C salmon recovered their pHe more rapidly, perhaps facilitated by higher basal metabolism and anaerobic metabolic H+ production. Additionally, 20 °C salmon experienced dramatically greater spikes in plasma total ammonia, [NH3] and [NH4+] after 1 h of exposure that decreased over time, whereas 15 °C salmon experienced a gradual nitrogenous waste accumulation. Despite pHe and RBC pHi recovery and non-lethal nitrogenous waste levels, we observed 20 % and 33 % mortality in 15 and 20 °C treatments within 12 h of exposure, respectively. The mortalities cannot be explained by high water pH alone, nor was it likely to be singularly attributable to a heavy metal or organic compound released from ash input. This demonstrates post-wildfire ash input can induce lethal yet previously unexplored physiological disturbances in fish, and further highlights the complex interaction with warmer temperatures typical of wildfire-scarred landscapes.

Biomonitoring of firefighters' exposure to priority pollutant metal(loid)s during wildland fire combat missions: Impact on urinary levels and health risks.

Wildland firefighters are exposed to metal(loid)s released during wildfires through vegetation combustion, which also promotes remobilization of accumulated anthropogenic metal(loid)s. Studies biomonitoring metal(loid)s exposure promoted exclusively by wildfire suppression activities are lacking. This work aimed to characterize, for the first time, the impact of real-life wildland firefighting operations on urinary levels of priority pollutant metal(loid)s [14 included in ATSDR, 11 in USEPA, and 4 in Human Biomonitoring for Europe Initiative priority lists] in firefighters. Spot urines were sampled pre-exposure (105 non-smokers, 76 smokers) and post-exposure to firefighting activities (20 non-smokers, 25 smokers); among those, paired samples were collected from 14 non-smoking and 24 smoking firefighters. Smokers displayed significantly higher baseline levels of zinc (28 %), lithium (29 %), cadmium (55 %), rubidium (13 %), and copper (20 %) than non-smokers. Following wildfire suppression, the concentration of the WHO potentially toxic metal(loid)s rose from 2 % to 3 % in smokers and 2 % to 5 % in non-smokers (up to 4 % for all firefighters and up to 5 % in paired samples). Levels of nickel (33-53 %), antimony (45-56 %), and cesium (40-47 %) increased significantly post-exposure in non-smokers (in all firefighters and in paired samples), whose urinary concentrations were generally more impacted by wildfire emissions than those of smokers. Arsenic (80 %) displayed the only significant increase post-exposure in smokers, being the best discriminant of exposure to wildfire emissions in these subjects. Significant positive correlations were found for age and/or career length with cadmium, lead, barium, strontium, and mercury, and for body mass index with arsenic. The reference/guidance values were exceeded for arsenic, zinc, cesium, nickel, antimony, cadmium, lead, thallium, mercury, copper, and cobalt in 1-90 % of firefighters suggesting augmented health risks due to wildfire combating and emphasizing the need of mitigation strategies. This study also provides biomonitoring data to help setting reference values for the occupationally exposed part of population.

Deep learning models map rapid plant species changes from citizen science and remote sensing data.

Anthropogenic habitat destruction and climate change are reshaping the geographic distribution of plants worldwide. However, we are still unable to map species shifts at high spatial, temporal, and taxonomic resolution. Here, we develop a deep learning model trained using remote sensing images from California paired with half a million citizen science observations that can map the distribution of over 2,000 plant species. Our model-Deepbiosphere-not only outperforms many common species distribution modeling approaches (AUC 0.95 vs. 0.88) but can map species at up to a few meters resolution and finely delineate plant communities with high accuracy, including the pristine and clear-cut forests of Redwood National Park. These fine-scale predictions can further be used to map the intensity of habitat fragmentation and sharp ecosystem transitions across human-altered landscapes. In addition, from frequent collections of remote sensing data, Deepbiosphere can detect the rapid effects of severe wildfire on plant community composition across a 2-y time period. These findings demonstrate that integrating public earth observations and citizen science with deep learning can pave the way toward automated systems for monitoring biodiversity change in real-time worldwide.

Short-term effects of wildfire-specific fine particulate matter and its carbonaceous components on perinatal outcomes: A multicentre cohort study in New South Wales, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological evidence on the association between wildfire-specific fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its carbonaceous components with perinatal outcomes is limited. We aimed to examine the short-term effects of wildfire-specific PM2.5 and its carbonaceous components on perinatal outcomes. METHODS: A multicentre cohort of 9743 singleton births during the wildfire seasons from 1 September 2009 to 31 December 2015 across six cities in New South Wales, Australia were linked with daily wildfire-specific PM2.5 and carbonaceous components (organic carbon and black carbon). Adjusted distributed lag Cox regression models with spatial clustering were performed to estimate daily and cumulative adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) during the last four gestational weeks for preterm birth, stillbirth, nonvertex presentation, low 5-min Apgar score, special care nursery/neonatal intensive care unit (SCN/NICU) admission, and caesarean section. RESULTS: Daily aHRs per 10 µg/m3 PM2.5 showed nearly inverted 'U'-shaped positive associations and daily cumulative aHRs that increased with increasing duration of the exposures. The aHRs for lag 0-6 days were 1.17 (95 % CI: 1.04, 1.32) for preterm birth, 1.40 (95 % CI: 1.11, 1.78) for stillbirth, 1.20 (95 % CI: 1.08, 1.33) for nonvertex presentation, 1.12 (95 % CI: 0.93, 1.35) for low 5-min Apgar score, 0.99 (95 % CI: 0.83, 1.19) for SNC/NICU admission, and 1.01 (95 % CI: 0.94, 1.08) for caesarean section. Organic carbon and black carbon components for lag 0-6 days showed positive associations. The highest component-specific aHRs were 1.09 (95 % CI: 1.03, 1.15) and 4.57 (95 % CI: 1.96, 10.68) for stillbirth per 1 µg/m3 organic carbon and black carbon, respectively. The subgroups identified as most vulnerable were female births, births to mothers with low socioeconomic status, and births to mothers with high biothermal exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Positive associations of short-term wildfire-specific PM2.5 exposure and its carbonaceous components with adverse perinatal outcomes suggest that policies to reduce exposure would benefit public health.

Transcriptome analysis reveals activation of detoxification and defense mechanisms in smoke-exposed Merlot grape (Vitis vinifera) berries.

A significant consequence of climate change is the rising incidence of wildfires. When wildfires occur close to wine grape (Vitis vinifera) production areas, smoke-derived volatile phenolic compounds can be taken up by the grape berries, negatively affecting the flavor and aroma profile of the resulting wine and compromising the production value of entire vineyards. Evidence for the permeation of smoke-associated compounds into grape berries has been provided through metabolomics; however, the basis for grapevines' response to smoke at the gene expression level has not been investigated in detail. To address this knowledge gap, we employed time-course RNA sequencing to observe gene expression-level changes in grape berries in response to smoke exposure. Significant increases in gene expression (and enrichment of gene ontologies) associated with detoxification of reactive compounds, maintenance of redox homeostasis, and cell wall fortification were observed in response to smoke. These findings suggest that the accumulation of volatile phenols from smoke exposure activates mechanisms that render smoke-derived compounds less reactive while simultaneously fortifying intracellular defense mechanisms. The results of this work lend a better understanding of the molecular basis for grapevines' response to smoke and provide insight into the origins of smoke-taint-associated flavor and aroma attributes in wine produced from smoke-exposed grapes.

Dwelling proximity to wildfire and spina bifida risk in offspring.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between wildfire exposure in pregnancy and spina bifida risk. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development Linked Birth File with hospital discharge data between 2007 and 2010. The Birth File data were merged with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection data of the same year. Spina bifida was identified by its corresponding ICD-9 code listed on the hospital discharge of the newborn. Wildfire exposure was determined based on the zip code of the woman's home address. Pregnancy was considered exposed to wildfire if the mother lived within 15 miles of a wildfire during the pregnancy or within 30 days prior to pregnancy. RESULTS: There were 2,093,185 births and 659 cases of spina bifida between 2007 and 2010. The births were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models and adjusted for potential confounders. Exposure to wildfire in the first trimester was associated with higher odds of spina bifida (aOR= 1.43 [1.11-1.84], p-value = 0.01). Wildfire exposure 30 days before the last menstrual period and during the second and third trimesters were not associated with higher spina bifida risk. CONCLUSION: Wildfire exposure has shown an increased risk of spina bifida during the early stages of pregnancy.

Spatiotemporal changes and background atmospheric factors associated with forest fires in Turkiye.

In this study, spatiotemporal analysis of forest fires in Turkiye was undertaken, with a specific focus on the large-scale atmospheric systems responsible for causing these fires. For this purpose, long-term variations in forest fires were classified based on the occurrence types (i.e. natural/lightning, negligence/inattention, arson, accident, unknown). The role of large-scale atmospheric circulations causing natural originated forest fires was investigated using NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis sea level pressure, and surface wind products for the selected episodes. According to the main results, Mediterranean (MeR), Aegean (AR), and Marmara (MR) regions of Turkiye are highly susceptible to forest fires. Statistically significant number of forest fires in the MeR and MR regions are associated with global warming trend of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin. In monthly distribution, forest fires frequently occur in the MeR part of Turkiye during September, August, and June months, respectively, and heat waves are responsible for forest fires in 2021. As a consequence of the extending summer Asiatic monsoon to the inner parts of Turkiye and the location of Azores surface high over Balkan Peninsula result in atmospheric blocking and associated calm weather conditions in the MeR (e.g. Mugla and Antalya provinces). When this blocking continues for a long time, southerly winds on the back slopes of the Taurus Mountains create a foehn effect, calm weather conditions and lack of moisture in the soil of Antalya and Mugla settlements trigger the formation of forest fires.

Temporal assessment of forest cover dynamics in response to forest fires and other environmental impacts using AI.

The rapid reduction of forests due to environmental impacts such as deforestation, global warming, natural disasters such as forest fires as well as various human activities is an escalating concern. The increasing frequency and severity of forest fires are causing significant harm to the ecosystem, economy, wildlife, and human safety. During dry and hot seasons, the likelihood of forest fires also increases. It is crucial to accurately monitor and analyze the large-scale changes in the forest cover to ensure sustainable forest management. Remote sensing technology helps to precisely study such changes in forest cover over a wide area over time. This research analyzes the impact of forest fires over time, identifies hotspots, and explores the environmental factors that affect forest cover change. Sentinel-2 imagery was utilized to study changes in Brunei Darussalam's forest cover area over five years from 2017 to 2022. An object-based approach, Simple Non-Iterative Clustering (SNIC), is employed to cluster the region using NDVI values and analyze the changes per cluster. The results indicate that the area of the clusters reduced where fire incidence occurred as well as the precipitation dropped. Between 2017 and 2022, the increased forest fires and decreased precipitation levels resulted in the change in cluster areas as follows: 66.11%, 69.46%, 68.32%, 73.88%, 77.27%, and 78.70%, respectively. Additionally, hotspots in response to forest fires each year were identified in the Belait district. This study will help forest managers assess the causes of forest cover loss and develop conservation and afforestation strategies.

Elemental composition of post-wildfire biomass ashes and partly burned woody species in Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic.

The study explored the post-wildfire elemental composition of parts (wood, bark, branch, cone, trunk, litter, twig, needle, sward, fallow, sapling, etc.) and by-products (biomass ashes, partly burnt parts, and char) of different woody species in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park, Czech Republic, and considered their effects on soils. Multi-elemental analysis of the fire by-products of the woody species was determined with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry and mass spectrometry and compared with control biomass samples unaffected by wildfire. Most fire by-products were slightly alkaline, with acidic ashes obtained from blueberry wood. The by-products of the wildfire were characterized by varied total contents of macro (P, Ca, K, Mg, and S), micro (Na, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn), and other elements (B, Co, Mo, and V) vital to soil fertility and plant growth. The mean content of macro elements in the biomass ashes was up to 4.16 P, 23.5 Ca, 2.48 Mg, 63 K, and 5.57 S g kg-1. These values were comparatively lower than published data for ashes obtained under optimized conditions, e.g., those combusted in power generation facilities. Conversely, partly burnt parts-an indication of incomplete combustion-had higher 9.22 P, 79 Ca, and 5.99 Mg g kg-1 contents in spruce needles than in biomass ashes and the control. Variations in woody species and anthropogenic activities in areas of wildfires produced varied As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb contents above EU fertilizer regulation. Caution in applying biomass ashes from wildfires on fields is required due to risk/toxic elements input from anthropogenic activities. Wildfire effects on the elemental composition of woody species can provide information on plant parts most suitable for biomass ashes for soil and ecosystem safety.

Fire up Biosensor Technology to Assess the Vitality of Trees after Wildfires.

The development of tools to quickly identify the fate of damaged trees after a stress event such as a wildfire is of great importance. In this context, an innovative approach to assess irreversible physiological damage in trees could help to support the planning of management decisions for disturbed sites to restore biodiversity, protect the environment and understand the adaptations of ecosystem functionality. The vitality of trees can be estimated by several physiological indicators, such as cambium activity and the amount of starch and soluble sugars, while the accumulation of ethanol in the cambial cells and phloem is considered an alarm sign of cell death. However, their determination requires time-consuming laboratory protocols, making the approach impractical in the field. Biosensors hold considerable promise for substantially advancing this field. The general objective of this review is to define a system for quantifying the plant vitality in forest areas exposed to fire. This review describes recent electrochemical biosensors that can detect plant molecules, focusing on biosensors for glucose, fructose, and ethanol as indicators of tree vitality.

Relationships between radiation, wildfire and the soil microbial communities in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone.

There is considerable uncertainty regarding radiation's effects on biodiversity in natural complex ecosystems typically subjected to multiple environmental disturbances and stresses. In this study we characterised the relationships between soil microbial communities and estimated total absorbed dose rates to bacteria, grassy vegetation and trees in the Red Forest region of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Samples were taken from sites of contrasting ecological histories and along burn and no burn areas following a wildfire. Estimated total absorbed dose rates to bacteria reached levels one order of magnitude higher than those known to affect bacteria in laboratory studies. Sites with harsher ecological conditions, notably acidic pH and low soil moisture, tended to have higher radiation contamination levels. No relationship between the effects of fire and radiation were observed. Microbial groups that correlated with high radiation sites were mostly classified to taxa associated with high environmental stress habitats or stress resistance traits. Distance-based linear models and co-occurrence analysis revealed that the effects of radiation on the soil microbiome were minimal. Hence, the association between high radiation sites and specific microbial groups is more likely a result of the harsher ecological conditions in these sites, rather than due to radiation itself. In this study, we provide a starting point for understanding the relationship between soil microbial communities and estimated total absorbed radiation dose rates to different components of an ecosystem highly contaminated with radiation. Our results suggest that soil microbiomes adapted to natural soil conditions are more likely to be resistant to ionising radiation than expected from laboratory studies, which demonstrates the importance of assessing the impact of ionising radiation on soil microbial communities under field conditions.

A Blood Test for Alzheimer Disease, Repurposing GLP-1s, and Wildfire Smoke-Highlights From the AAIC.

This Medical News article is an interview about the latest findings presented at the recent Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

Black carbon and particulate matter concentrations amid central Chile's extreme wildfires.

The increase in the frequency and severity of global wildfires has been largely influenced by climate change and land use changes. From February 2 to 6, 2024, central Chile experienced its most devastating wildland-urban interface wildfire in history, severely impacting the Valparaíso region. This catastrophic event, which led to extensive forest destruction, the loss of thousands of homes, and over a hundred human fatalities, directly impacted the area surrounding the campus of Federico Santa María Technical University. In that period, an air quality monitoring campaign was set up on the campus to measure black carbon (BC) and particulate matter (PM) during the wildfire season. The monitoring station was located directly within the smoke plume, allowing for the collection of unprecedented air quality data. Extremely high concentrations of BC at 880 nm were reported during the wildfires, with a daily mean (±σ) of 14.83 ± 19.52 µg m-3. Peak concentrations measured at 880 nm and 375 nm reached 812.89 µg m-3 and 1561.24 µg m-3, respectively. The maximum daily mean BC concentrations at these wavelengths were 55 and 99 times higher, respectively, compared to the pre-event period. The mean Ångström absorbing coefficient during the event was 1.66, indicating biomass burning as the primary BC source, while the maximum BC/PM2.5 ratio (at 375 nm) reached 57 %. From February 2 to 5, 2024, PM concentrations exceeded the Chilean air quality standard by 82 % and 198 % for coarse and fine particles, respectively. These levels are 4.7 and 6.0 times higher than the World Health Organization's recommendations. These elevated concentrations persisted for up to three days after the fire was extinguished. This study provides unique evidence of the rapid deterioration of regional air quality during a wildfire event using in situ measurements, serving as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of a warming climate.

Wildfire effects on mercury fate in soils of North-Western Siberia.

Arctic soils store 49 Gg mercury (Hg) - an extremely toxic heavy metal, whereas soil Hg can be released to the atmosphere by wildfires. For the first time we investigated the effects of wildfires on the fate of soil Hg in North-Western (NW) Siberia based on GIS maps of areas burned during the last 38 years and a field paired comparison of unburned and burned areas in tundra (mosses, lichens, some grasses, and shrubs) and forest-tundra (multi-layered canopy of larch trees, shrubs, mosses, and lichens). These field surveys were deepened by soil controlled burning to assess the Hg losses from organic horizon and mineral soil. The soil Hg stocks in the organic horizon and in the top 10 cm of the mineral soil were 3.3 ± 0.6 and 16 ± 3 mg Hg m-2 for unburned tundra and forest-tundra, respectively. After the burning by wildfires, the soil Hg stocks decreased to 2.4 ± 0.1 and 6.6 ± 0.2 mg Hg m-2 for tundra and forest-tundra, respectively. By the averages annual burned areas in NW Siberia 527 km2, wildfires in tundra and forest-tundra released 0.19 and 2.9 Mg soil Hg per year, respectively, corresponding to 28 % and 59 % of the initial soil Hg stocks. These direct effects of wildfires on Hg volatilization are raised by indirect post-pyrogenic consequences on Hg fate triggered by the vegetation succession and adsorption of atmospheric Hg on the surface of charred biomass. Charred lichens and trees accumulated 4-16 times more Hg compared to the living biomass. Blackened burned vegetation and soil reduced surface albedo and slowly increased soil temperatures in Arctic after wildfires. This created favorable conditions for seeding grasses and shrubs after wildfire and transformed burned high-latitude ecosystems into greener areas, increasing their capacity to trap atmospheric Hg by vegetation, which partly compensate the burning losses of soil Hg.

Gestational exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and its specific components and the risk of gestational hypertension and eclampsia in the southwestern United States.

In the southwestern United States, the frequency of summer wildfires has elevated ambient PM2.5 concentrations and rates of adverse birth outcomes. Notably, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) constitute a significant determinant associated with maternal mortality and adverse birth outcomes. Despite the accumulating body of evidence, scant research has delved into the correlation between chemical components of wildfire PM2.5 and the risk of HDP. Derived from data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics, singleton births from >2.68 million pregnant women were selected across 8 states (Arizona, AZ; California, CA, Idaho, ID, Montana, MT; Nevada, NV; Oregon, OR; Utah, UT, and Wyoming, WY) in the southwestern US from 2001 to 2004. A spatiotemporal model and a Goddard Earth Observing System chemical transport model were employed to forecast daily concentrations of total and wildfire PM2.5-derived exposure. Various modeling techniques including unadjusted analyses, covariate-adjusted models, propensity-score matching, and double robust typical logit models were applied to assess the relationship between wildfire PM2.5 exposure and gestational hypertension and eclampsia. Exposure to fire PM2.5, fire-sourced black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) were associated with an augmented risk of gestational hypertension (ORPM2.5 = 1.125, 95 % CI: 1.109,1.141; ORBC = 1.247, 95 % CI: 1.214,1.281; OROC = 1.153, 95 % CI: 1.132, 1.174) and eclampsia (ORPM2.5 = 1.217, 95 % CI: 1.145,1.293; ORBC = 1.458, 95 % CI: 1.291,1.646; OROC = 1.309, 95 % CI: 1.208,1.418) during the pregnancy exposure window with the strongest effect. The associations were stronger that the observed effects of ambient PM2.5 in which the sources primarily came from urban emissions. Social vulnerability index (SVI), education years, pre-pregnancy diabetes, and hypertension acted as effect modifiers. Gestational exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and specific chemical components (BC and OC) increased gestational hypertension and eclampsia risk in the southwestern United States.

Can green firebreaks help balance biodiversity, carbon storage and wildfire risk?

Green firebreaks (strategically placed plantings of low-flammability vegetation) are designed to reduce the rate of fire spread and thereby increase the suppressibility of fires. Successful examples have led to some fire-prone regions investing heavily in the establishment of green firebreaks as a method of reducing fire risk while improving biodiversity and carbon storage. However, beyond small-scale case studies there has been little research quantitatively exploring the interactions among biodiversity, carbon, and wildfire risk in relation to green firebreaks. Here, we combine a Bayesian Network (BN) analysis, and fire simulations in PHOENIX RapidFire (hereafter Phoenix), to identify planting designs that reduce wildfire risks while also providing positive biodiversity and carbon outcomes. Using a BN analysis, we prioritised optimal planting designs as the combination of elements (e.g., stem density, distance from houses, shrub design, age etc.) that delivered the greatest increase in biodiversity and carbon while reducing fire risk to people and property for eight sites across south-eastern Australia. We ranked combinations of planting designs, prioritising house, and life loss first, to identify optimal designs. Optimal planting designs varied among sites, although the design elements that best reduced risk to houses and lives were consistent. These elements included 'scattered' shrubs and planting densities of trees consistent with an open forest structure. Estimated fuel loads for the optimal planting design at each site were used to create a simulated revegetation area in Phoenix. We simulated fire behaviour in Phoenix across a grid of ∼1000 ignitions for each site, and for up to 54 historic weather conditions for a 'current fuel' scenario (no green firebreaks present) compared with a 'green firebreak fuel' scenario. We found that the establishment of a green firebreak did not result in significant changes to fire behaviour at most sites. In some cases, it reduced risk to people and property, and where fire behaviour did change in terms of intensity, frequency, ember attack and overall risk, the differences relative to the current fuel scenario were less than two percent. Overall, simulated green firebreaks in most cases were found to provide biodiversity and carbon benefits without increasing fire risk. These findings illustrate their potential as an effective nature-based solution for managing multiple priorities; however, further testing of real plantings is required to evaluate this potential as an at-scale solution.