<
https://www.wired.com/story/what-we-learned-about-wildfire-smoke-in-2024/>
"The more researchers learn about wildfire smoke, the more worrisome the
picture gets. Smoke contains microscopic particles known as PM 2.5 because the
PM (particulate matter) measures 2.5 microns or less—small enough to easily
wiggle its way into our lungs and then into our bloodstreams. Researchers have
already connected the particulate matter in wildfire smoke to a higher risk of
strokes, heart disease, respiratory disease, lung cancer, and other serious
conditions.
And the harmful effects don’t stop there. 2024 was a banner year for research
on wildfire smoke and its impact on health, from brain functioning to
fertility. While there’s still a lot more to learn, wildfire smoke is thought
to be especially insidious compared to other sources of air pollution; its
smaller particle size, intermittent spikes, and higher concentration of
inflammatory compounds make it more dangerous.
This year’s new findings are disturbing. But the more we learn about smoke, the
better we can protect ourselves from it, whether we live hundreds of miles away
from a fire or confront it directly the way wildland firefighters do. Research
underscores the need for some changes, including better indoor air filtration
systems in our homes, hospitals, schools, and nursing homes, and clean air
centers for people with nowhere else to breathe healthy air. Meanwhile,
respirators for wildland firefighters are currently being tested by the federal
government. We also need to reduce smoke pollution at the source by taking
measures to reduce wildfire risk and intensity, like prescribed burns."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
