Expanding wildfires are burning much more land than they used to and the resulting air pollution affects us deeply, damaging our bodies and making it harder for us to breathe.
According to a study published on Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, these wildfires are burning more due to several reasons: climate change, mismanagement of forests from government officials, and too much carbon dioxide.
When these wildfires are done, they result in tiny particles that permeate the air and that we breathe in. A recent 10 year study showed just how bad these particles are for us, accelerating the buildup of plaque inside our blood vessels, facilitating strokes, heart attacks, and in some instances, death.
Mashable reports that these particles affect all of us, making it harder for us to breathe. “Lots of people have been predicting that this would be happening in the next decades, but we’re starting to see it now,” said Dan Jaffe, professor at the University of Washington.
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Since our planet is undergoing climate change, every year a new heat record is broken, and this won’t be stopping any time soon. The more these wildfires keep popping up, the easier it’ll be for them to reoccur. Every time a wildfire takes place, the air is filled with carbon dioxide, a gas that encourages and strengthens the greenhouse effects and causes even warmer weather.
According to experts, sometimes it’s safe for us to stay indoors, particularly when living in areas where there’s a large amount of pollution. In the long term, it’s important for countries and members of society to address climate change and try to do something about it.
