• Climate change contributed to approximately 15,000 deaths in the U.S. between 2006 and 2020 due to increased exposure to PM2.5 from wildfire smoke, costing an estimated $160 billion.
• The study, led by Oregon State University researcher Bev Law, is the first to directly link climate-driven increases in fine particulate matter from wildfires to a specific death toll.
• Researchers emphasize the urgent need for strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, alongside localized measures like forest management, to mitigate the growing health and economic impacts of wildfire smoke.

A new study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment has found a significant link between climate change and increased mortality and economic costs associated with wildfire smoke in the United States. The study, focusing on the period from 2006 to 2020, estimates that climate change contributed to approximately 15,000 deaths due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfires, resulting in $160 billion in economic damages. The research highlights the far-reaching impacts of climate change on public health and underscores the importance of addressing both greenhouse gas emissions and local land management practices.

• What: A study quantifying the number of deaths and economic costs attributable to climate change-driven increases in wildfire smoke exposure in the United States.
• Who: The study was led by Beverly Law of Oregon State University. Key individuals mentioned include Nicholas Nassikas, Lisa Thompson, Jacob Bendix, Marshall Burke, and Patrick Brown. The populations most vulnerable to PM2.5 exposure include children, pregnant people, the elderly, and outdoor workers.
• When: The study analyzed data from 2006 to 2020. The paper was published Friday in the journal Nature Communications Earth & Environment.
• Where: The study focused on the lower 48 United States, with the heaviest mortality and economic losses concentrated in California, Oregon, and Washington. Smoke plumes can affect communities hundreds of miles from the fires, including the Midwest and East Coast.

The study provides compelling evidence of the significant human and economic costs associated with climate change-driven increases in wildfire smoke. By isolating the impact of climate change on PM2.5 levels and mortality, the researchers offer a clearer understanding of the risks and highlight the urgent need for action. While some experts raise concerns about the study's methodology and the relative importance of climate change compared to other factors influencing wildfires, the overall consensus is that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving land management practices are crucial for mitigating the growing threat of wildfire smoke.

We’re seeing a lot more of these wildfire smoke events. What does it really mean in a changing environment for things like mortality, which is kind of the worst possible health outcome?

Without efforts to address climate change, wildfires and associated fine particulate matter will continue to increase.

These numbers are really significant. I think there’s a tendency for people outside of the areas actually burning to see increasing fires as a distant inconvenience … This study drives home how far-reaching the impacts are.

Yet in many regions, the more immediate life‑saving action may be fuel breaks, prescribed burns, ignition‑source regulation, public health efforts, etc.

The study's findings underscore the growing threat of climate change-driven wildfire smoke to public health and the economy. The researchers highlight the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing effective land management practices, and alerting vulnerable groups to health risks. While the study focuses on the period up to 2020, the authors caution that the situation is likely to worsen without significant action. This study serves as a call for policymakers and individuals to address climate change and take proactive measures to protect communities from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke.