Climate-Driven Wildfires Raise Air Pollution Across U.S., Canada in 2023

Recent studies reveal that the worsening wildfire seasons in Canada and the United States, driven by climate change, have significantly increased air pollution levels, reversing decades of air quality improvements. The University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index reports that 2023 saw Canada's worst wildfire season on record, causing a surge in particulate matter pollution that led to a reduction of roughly two years in average Canadian life expectancy. The U.S. also experienced a 20 percent rise in particulate levels, with pollution spreading to states downwind of Canadian wildfires. Experts highlight that particulate pollution remains the greatest external threat to human health, exceeding risks from tobacco, malnutrition, and accidents. Despite efforts to improve air quality through emissions controls, wildfires and their aftermath, including invisible toxic gases not captured by current Air Quality Index standards, pose ongoing threats, particularly in wildfire-affected urban areas like Los Angeles. Additionally, California is collaborating with NASA to develop advanced remote sensing data and landscape monitoring tools to better assess and manage wildfire impacts and forest health moving forward.