AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Experts warn that wildfire smoke poses a growing and significant health risk, reversing progress made in air quality, particularly in the Western US and New York. Research suggests wildfire smoke is as harmful as other air pollution sources, linked directly to climate change. This evidence impacts policy debates, with some citing studies to oppose measures that downplay wildfire impacts. Meanwhile, the EPA emphasizes wildfire prevention strategies like prescribed burning, while welcoming public comment on reviewing a previous endangerment finding. The research utilizes extensive data on deaths, smoke travel, and climate models, highlighting the urgency of addressing wildfire-related health concerns.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
“Wildfire smoke is a much larger health risk than we might have understood previously,” said Marshall Burke, a professor of environmental social sciences at Stanford University and a study author.
“Wildfire smoke is beginning to turn back the clock on our air pollution levels, at least in the western states and New York,” said Dr. Joel Kaufman, a University of Washington professor of medicine, epidemiology and environmental health sciences who studies air pollution, but did not work on this study. “This is an emerging hazard and it’s one of the few things that can probably be realistically laid at the foot of climate change. That’s the hook here.”
Kaufman said over the past five to 10 years there’s been a “drumbeat of evidence” that suggests wildfire smoke is at least as harmful as other forms of air pollution.
The new research could have implications for public policy.
The new study could be part of a “pushback” against that measure, said Dr. John Balmes, a spokesman for the American Lung Association and a professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.
The measure to rescind the finding is undergoing a lengthy regulatory process, which is accepting public comments now. Balmes said he cited the study in a letter objecting to the change by the EPA.
“It strengthens what we are saying about wildfires being connected to climate change and subsequent public health impacts,” Balmes said.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on Wednesday issued a report that said human-caused warming is causing harm and will continue to do so in the future. The evidence is “beyond scientific dispute,” the committee behind the report said.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The EPA said the Trump administration was “committed to reducing the likelihood of devastating wildfire disasters” and will prioritize efforts like prescribed burning, fuel treatment and debris cleanup to prevent them.
“EPA welcomes all public comments on the proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding through September 22, 2025, and the agency looks forward to responding to a diverse array of perspectives on this issue,” a spokesperson said in an email.
The researchers used 2011-2020 as their baseline and predicted future conditions under several climate scenarios. They had access to every U.S. death during that period, satellite and ground-level data about smoke travel, and global climate models, among other data sets.
