PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Richardson, Leslie
AU  - Loomis, John B.
AU  - Champ, Patricia A.
TI  - Valuing Morbidity from Wildfire Smoke Exposure: A Comparison of Revealed and Stated Preference Techniques
AID  - 10.3368/le.89.1.76
DP  - 2013 Feb 01
TA  - Land Economics
PG  - 76--100
VI  - 89
IP  - 1
4099  - http://le.uwpress.org/content/89/1/76.short
4100  - http://le.uwpress.org/content/89/1/76.full
SO  - Land Econ2013 Feb 01; 89
AB  - Estimating the economic benefits of reduced health damages due to improvements in environmental quality continues to challenge economists. We review welfare measures associated with reduced wildfire smoke exposure, and a unique dataset from California’s Station Fire of 2009 allows for a comparison of cost of illness (COI) estimates with willingness to pay (WTP) measures. The WTP for one less symptom day is estimated to be $87 and $95, using the defensive behavior and contingent valuation methods, respectively. These WTP estimates are not statistically different but do differ from a $3 traditional daily COI estimate and $17 comprehensive daily COI estimate. (JEL Q51, Q53)