New research from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences reveals that sunlight exacerbates air pollution from wildfires. The study, published in Science Advances, shows that sunlight makes smoke particles more reactive, producing harmful oxidants like peroxides, which pose health risks even though they don’t contribute to global warming.
The findings indicate that air quality models may underestimate the dangers posed by wildfires, which have quadrupled in size since the 1980s. Besides immediate destruction, wildfire smoke can have long-term health effects, comparable to smoking half a pack of cigarettes daily.
While stopping wildfires outright is challenging, effective community measures like home hardening and vegetation clearing can mitigate damage. For instance, proactive safety measures helped a California community avoid significant damage during the 2024 Bridge fire.
