For the second consecutive year, huge wildfires have created clouds of smoke large enough to create their own weather, cover entire continents and make faraway skies appear orange or grey.
The smoke from wildfires in the west US, Canada and Greece is so thick that astronauts at the space station can see it. As they did last summer, the wildfires in California or Oregon have caused darkening skies and led to New York City and Boston air quality warnings.
Meanwhile, the Siberian fires have sent smoke and ash clouds to the North Pole. It is approximately 2,000 miles (3.219 km) from Greenland.
Dixie fire smoke, seen from the ISS on 4 August 2021. (NASA/JSC).
When a large fire is lit, the smoke rises high into the atmosphere. Winds can pick it up and transport it thousands of miles before it reaches a weather system that pulls it back to the ground. This is when the smoke can pose a risk to your health.
Wildfires are often seen as a problem in the local area, threatening people in California or Greece, but not their personal safety. Jesse Berman, an environmental epidemiologist, says that this is incorrect.
Insider was told by Berman that each of these wildfires offers the smoke an opportunity to travel long distances, and impact not only those living nearby but also those far away.
People who live in areas with relatively high air quality will be subject to pollution levels that are much higher than normal and very dangerous to their health.
Berman said that these mega-clouds may be a common, annual occurrence.
In the next decade, climate change will likely lead to wildfires that are more intense, frequent, and larger than ever before. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released a new report that warns of an increase in "fire weather" through 2050 in North America and Central America.
This means that there are more days when the weather is warm, dry, windy, and hot enough to sustain wildfires.
The Statue of Liberty is engulfed in wildfire smoke, New York 21 July 2021 (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)
As rising temperatures cause more moisture to be absorbed and more droughts, the fuel available for burning in dry areas is likely to increase.
Berman stated that "when these events cover hundreds of thousands of miles, everyone is at risk." It doesn't matter where your location is. These events can affect you just as much as anyone else.
Wildfire smoke particles can cause damage to your lungs, heart and immune system.
Wildfire smoke is everywhere. It fills the air with tiny particles of the material that was burned and the chemical reactions that resulted.
These particles are known as PM2.5 and measure 2.5 micrometers in size. This allows them to penetrate your lungs and into your bloodstream. Inhaling these particles, which millions of people have done in the past year, can cause damage to your lungs and inflammation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns you that smoking can make you more susceptible to lung infections, including COVID-19. This is because any crack in the lining of your lungs could allow a virus to enter.
Satellite imagery shows smoke above the Republic of Sakha, eastern Russia (Yakutia), 8 August 2021. (Joshua Stevens/NASA)
A recent study found that wildfire smoke was linked to nearly 19,000 cases last summer of COVID-19 in West Coast residents. The paper published last week found a link between high levels PM2.5 pollution and an increase in coronavirus cases across California, Oregon and Washington.
Experts believed so. Research has shown that wildfire smoke makes people more susceptible to diseases. Even in healthy individuals, smoke can cause irritation to the eyes and lungs.
Studies that have been ongoing for a longer time show that PM2.5 pollution is linked to an increase in the risk of premature death, stroke, heart attack, and heart failure. The immune system can also be affected by PM2.5 particles, possibly through the destruction of immune cells in the lungs.
People who are already very vulnerable to COVID-19 can be most affected by wildfire smoke: the elderly, children (many are not vaccinated against coronavirus), people with chronic lung disease or asthma.
Business Insider originally published this article.
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