"Wildfires release a witches' brew of pollutants that can wreck air quality even a continent away, posing risks for infrastructure, ecosystems and human health. Wildfires made significant contributions to air pollution last year, according to the United Nations' weather and climate agency. In a report released on Friday, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said wildfires, likely to have been made more frequent by climate change, are releasing a witches' brew of pollutants that can end up wrecking air quality a continent away."
"Highlighting the role of tiny particles called aerosols in wildfires, winter fog, shipping emissions and urban pollution, the WMO said particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres (PM 2.5) are considered particularly harmful since they can penetrate deep into the lungs or cardiovascular system. Wildfires in 2024 led to above-average PM 2.5 levels in Canada, Siberia and central Africa, the WMO noted. The biggest PM 2.5 surge, however, was in the Amazon basin."
Wildfires released large quantities of pollutants and fine particles in 2024 that degraded air quality locally and across continents. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can penetrate deep into lungs and the cardiovascular system and poses serious health risks. Above-average PM2.5 levels occurred in Canada, Siberia and central Africa, with the largest surge in the Amazon basin. Aerosols from wildfires interact with winter fog, shipping emissions and urban pollution, compounding air-quality problems. Increasing wildfire frequency and intensity with a warming climate raises escalating risks to public health, ecosystems and critical infrastructure and requires coordinated climate and air-quality responses.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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