Wildfire emissions soar, exposing millions to worse air pollution

Smoke from fires contains a mix of pollutants that reduce air quality even hundreds of kilometres away. Scientists said they were particularly concerned about emissions of fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, which is associated with cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer and respiratory problems.

“We know that this has a really major health effect, particularly when there’s exposure over multiple days,” said Theodore Keeping, a climate scientist at Imperial College London.

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