Wildfires Linked to 1.5 Million Deaths Annually

Air pollution caused by wildfires is responsible for over 1.5 million deaths each year, globally, according to a study published in The Lancet. The rise in wildfire frequency and intensity due to climate change is expected to increase this toll in the coming years.

The international research team of the article, titled Global, regional, and national mortality burden attributable to air pollution from landscape fires: a health impact assessment study, examined data between 2000 and 2019 and found that around 450,000 deaths annually were linked to heart disease caused by wildfire pollution, while another 220,000 were attributed to respiratory illnesses. Most of these deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries, with sub-Saharan Africa suffering the highest burden, accounting for nearly 40% of the global total.

Countries with the highest number of deaths due to wildfire air pollution include China, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, and Nigeria. The study stresses that while wildfires directly cause fatalities, most deaths are linked to the pollution they produce, which leads to long-term health issues, particularly cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Authors highlighted that at least 90% of global PM2.5 emissions from landscape fires come from wildfires, and this could increase with climate change. The study calls for urgent action to address the public health risks associated with wildfire pollution and the growing disparities in mortality rates between high- and low-income countries. It also urges the global community to provide financial and technological support to vulnerable nations.