Smoke Pollution from Wildfires Linked to 12,000 Annual Deaths

New research indicates that smoke pollution from wildfires, exacerbated by global heating, may be responsible for an additional 12,000 deaths each year, The Guardian reported yesterday.

The study, led by Dr. Chae Yeon Park from Japan’s National Institute for Environmental Studies, highlights that regions like Australia, South America, Europe, and parts of Asia are particularly at risk.

From 2003 to 2019, global heating increased the area burned by nearly 16%, despite human actions like land clearing reducing the total burned area by 19%. The research found that almost 100,000 people die annually from inhaling PM2.5 particles from wildfires.

Experts warn that the health impacts of wildfire smoke could be underestimated due to its severe toxicity. Prof. Hilary Bambrick noted that the prolonged smoke exposure during Australia’s 2019-2020 fires resulted in hundreds of deaths and long-term health issues.