Canadian dialysis centers face growing wildfire risks that threaten treatment access.
Wildfires are creating a growing concern for Canadians who depend on regular dialysis treatments, according to a new study from McGill University that was published in Kidney International Reports. Researchers found that many dialysis centers across Canada are located in areas facing a high risk of wildfire, raising concerns about whether patients will be able to receive treatment when fires, smoke, evacuations, or power problems affect local communities. Dialysis is a treatment that removes waste and extra fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer perform that job properly. Many people receiving in-center hemodialysis must visit a treatment facility several times each week. Missing treatments can lead to serious health problems, making continued access to dialysis especially important during an emergency.
Researchers from McGill’s Departments of Medicine and Geography examined the locations of dialysis centers across Canada and compared those locations with information about past wildfires and current wildfire danger. The study included 341 dialysis facilities serving more than 23,000 people who receive hemodialysis at treatment centers.
The findings showed that about 30 percent of the dialysis facilities had been located within five kilometers of at least one recorded wildfire during the previous 30 years. About 64 percent of the facilities were located in areas rated as having high, very high, or extreme wildfire risk. Those centers serve about two-thirds of Canadians receiving in-center hemodialysis. This means a large number of patients could face problems reaching treatment if a wildfire forces road closures, causes evacuations, damages buildings, or interrupts local services.
Dialysis centers depend on several basic services to continue operating. Electricity is needed to run treatment machines and other equipment, and large amounts of clean water are also required. Health care workers must be available to provide treatment, while patients need reliable transportation to and from the facility. Wildfire smoke adds another concern. Smoke can make outdoor air unhealthy, particularly for people who already have health problems.
Canada has experienced increasingly severe wildfire seasons over the past several years. In 2023, wildfires burned more than 15 million hectares across the country, making it the largest wildfire season recorded in Canada. Such events have increased concern about how natural disasters can affect people who rely on regular medical care.
Mapping the locations of treatment centers against wildfire danger could help health officials prepare emergency plans before a disaster occurs. Emergency planning for dialysis patients may include identifying backup treatment locations, planning transportation routes, protecting access to water and electricity, and making arrangements for patients who must leave an area because of a wildfire.
Researchers said the same type of mapping could eventually be used to study other threats linked to changing weather and climate conditions. Flooding, extreme heat, storms, and other disasters can also disrupt access to medical treatment. The findings point to the need for health systems to consider the needs of people who depend on regular treatment when preparing for increasingly severe wildfire seasons. As extreme weather events become more common, better planning could help reduce interruptions in care and give patients, health care providers, and emergency officials more time to prepare. For dialysis patients, having a plan in place before disaster strikes could make the difference between maintaining treatment and facing a dangerous gap in care.
Sources:
Increasing Canadian wildfires jeopardize critical care for dialysis patients
Geographical Information Systems–Based Wildfire Risk Analysis of Canadian Dialysis Facilities
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