As the atmosphere warms, many forests and other natural ecosystems are becoming drier and more prone to catching on fire.
“You don’t have to cook the books.”Together, the two studies show how wildfires are a growing health threat.
Wildfire smoke can contain a variety of pollutants, including fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, a type of air pollution made up of very small particles that can invade the lungs and bloodstream.
Thanks to the Clean Air Act, air pollution in the United States has generally improved since the 1970s.
But levels of PM 2.5, which are routinely tracked by the Environmental Protection Agency and had been declining, took a marked turn back up around 2016.
Persons:
Childs, “ It’s, something’s, ”, Marshall Burke
Organizations:
Stanford University, Act, Environmental Protection Agency
Locations:
Canada, United States