Wildfire Pollution, Extreme Heat Threaten Public Health

(MENAFN) Growing pollution caused by wildfires and extreme heat is threatening international efforts to improve air quality and reduce risks to people and the environment, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

The UN body stresses that climate change and air pollution are closely connected and calls for governments to develop coordinated policies that address both problems together.

The assessment finds that severe wildfire-smoke episodes have become far more frequent worldwide since the 1990s. Research cited in the report estimates that exposure to smoke from these events was linked to nearly 100,000 additional deaths each year between 2010 and 2018.

The organization also warns that existing models may significantly underestimate deaths associated with wildfires because they do not fully account for the greater toxicity of fine particulate pollution, known as PM2.5, released by fires. Such estimates could be understated by as much as 93%.

“Meeting the World Health Organization air quality guidelines will become progressively more difficult, since extreme fire weather is expected to increase in the future,” the bulletin said.

Meanwhile, heat waves are contributing to worsening ground-level ozone pollution. Rising temperatures, weak air circulation and strong sunlight create conditions that accelerate ozone formation near the surface.

The organization expects the health consequences of ozone exposure to become more serious as these conditions intensify, potentially resulting in tens of thousands of additional premature deaths.

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