Wildfire Smoke

When the catastrophic Los Angeles fires broke out, John Volckens suspected firefighters and residents were breathing toxic air from the burning homes, buildings, and cars, but it was unclear how much risk the public faced.

Nearby smoke plumes can drop generation substantially, but smoke that blows in from distant blazes appears to have only a "modest" effect.

Wildfire smoke is more than just wood burning. Research shows a mix of chemicals can be released when human-made materials burn up.

Researchers were looking at PM 2.5 pollution, made up of particles with diameters at least 30 times smaller than human hair. They found that for every additional microgram from wildfires per cubic meter of air on average over rolling 3-year periods, patients faced an 18% increase in the odds of a dementia diagnosis. The figure for non-wildfire PM 2.5 was just 1%.

From respiratory patients to trail runners to kids playing outdoors, horrendous Front Range air quality requires some medical advice.

Researchers have found the sound that soot makes under bright light can be used to assess the impact of wildfires.

Many Mountain West homeowners live near wildfire-prone areas and are used to seeing smoke outside their window. But that smoke might linger in the home longer than previously thought, according to new research done by Colorado State and other universities.

The Mountain West has seen a record increase in wildfires over the past couple years, and even if a fire was not burning in the state, smoke from these fires drifted across the region. Now, new research is showing that exposure to wildfire smoke can have negative effects on the brain.

New research shows air quality gains in the U.S. have been cut by wildfire smoke. Scientists are sounding the alarm for change if the world wants to breathe clean air in the future.

Despite the near- and long-term health implications of breathing wildfire smoke, few wildland firefighters use any sort of respirator on the fireline. A new survey is seeking to better understand attitudes surrounding such safety devices with an eye toward better protecting firefighter health.