Wildfires are reversing America’s progress on ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog
Wildfires are reversing America’s progress on ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog
Publish Date: 2026-06-04 14:00:00
Source Domain: theconversation.com
- Recent progress in reducing surface ozone pollution in the United States has been overshadowed by a growing source of ozone pollution from wildfires.
- Wildfires have reversed the trend of declining surface ozone levels, leading to an increase in ozone levels since 2015.
- The gases from wildfires have contributed to an increase in the number of ozone-related premature deaths by approximately 300 annually since 2015.
- Ground-level ozone used to decline steadily until 2015, but it has since risen, especially in western U.S. and Midwest regions frequently affected by wildfire emissions.
- Smoke and pollutants from wildfires are not limited to their immediate vicinity but can travel thousands of miles, impacting remote regions.
- Increased wildfire activity due to climate change makes the ozone problem expected to grow, posing significant risks to human health.
- Steps to reduce ozone exposure include monitoring air quality forecasts and minimizing outdoor activities during wildfire-affected periods.
- Long-term solutions to protect public health require a combination of reducing fire risk, managing forests more sustainably, and addressing global temperature rise via fossil fuel reduction.
