Wildfire smoke far more dangerous to health than thought, say scientists

Wildfire PM2.5 particles appeared to have a more damaging effect on health than fine particulates from other sources pollution. Photograph: Pablo Blázquez Domínguez/Getty Images

Choking smoke spewed by wildfires is far more dangerous than previously thought, a new study has found, with death tolls from short-term exposure to fine particulates underestimated by 93%.

Researchers found that 535 people in Europe died on average each year between 2004 and 2022 as a result of breathing in the tiny toxic particles known as PM2.5 that are released when wildfires rage.