Wildfire smoke will kill nearly 1.4m each year by end of century if emissions not curbed – study

Smoke from the Hughes wildfire near Santa Clarita, California, 22 January 2025. Photograph: Ted Soqui/EPA

Smoke billowing from wildfires will cause a growing number of deaths around the world in the decades ahead as the planet continues to heat up, new research has found.

Wildfire smoke is expected to kill as many as 1.4 million people globally each year by the end of the century if planet-heating emissions are not curbed, according to a study published on Thursday.