Wildfire Smoke

A study by scientists at the Columbia University Climate School has found that the weather conditions driven by climate change that are increasing the occurrence of wildfires are playing a growing role in shaping summer air quality in both the United States and Canada. And the news isn’t good. The air is getting smokier and the impact on public health is not something that can be addressed by regulatory action, as was the case for fossil fuel pollution.

Changes to the atmosphere and to the climate are interrelated and understanding what effects such changes have is a complicated matter. Wildfires are increasingly commonplace and many of their effects are obvious. Air quality in places hundreds or even thousands of miles from wildfires can become degraded and even hazardous to human health. Ecosystems are disrupted by killing wildlife and destroying habitats. A new study by Harvard University looked at the effects of wildfires on the upper atmosphere.

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation has issued an air quality alert for Tuesday.