Drought and human health. Drought can have substantial negative effects on human health, creating challenges for public health departments, emergency managers, and healthcare providers. On 19–20 October, 2022, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center co-led the Pacific Northwest Drought and Human Health Workshop in Portland, Oregon. The workshop was intended to identify gaps and needs, opportunities for collaboration, and ways to integrate the health sector and existing drought activities. OCCRI and partners summarized major points raised during presentations and panel discussions at the workshop. The summary document also includes extended abstracts of three of the presentations.
Projections of extreme weather for Portland General Electric. We are working with Portland General Electric Company to project severe weather events within their northwest Oregon service area during the next 50 years. Such projections will inform potential alterations to the design and construction of its transmission and distribution system.
Drivers of density, size, and prevention of human-ignited wildfires in the western United States. With support from the Joint Fire Science Program and in collaboration with researchers at University of California, Merced, OCCRI is clarifying the contributions of biological, physical, and social factors to ignition likelihoods and wildfire extents across the western states. This work will inform development of prevention strategies that can be targeted to different ignition sources, weather and climate conditions, ecoregions, and human populations.
