Wildfire Smoke Is Undoing 20+ Years of US Clean Air Progress

PM2.5 from Wildfire Smoke Reaches Every Corner of the Country

Fine particles from wildfire smoke travel thousands of miles. New York and Washington DC have recorded unhealthy air quality days from California and Canadian fires.

Wildfire Smoke Causes Strokes, Heart Attacks, and Lung Disease

The health effects of PM2.5 are severe: cardiovascular disease, premature birth, cognitive decline, and early death. Children, the elderly, and those with lung conditions are at greatest risk.

50 Years of Air Quality Gains Erased in Just One Decade

Research at MIT shows wildfire smoke is reversing PM2.5 improvements in western states — air quality in cities like Seattle, Denver, and Portland now rivals levels last seen in the 1970s.

Wildfire Smoke Costs the US Economy $450 Billion Annually

Lost productivity, healthcare costs, and reduced labor supply from smoke exposure add up to staggering economic losses — concentrated in the western US but spreading nationally.

N95 Masks, Air Purifiers, and Indoor Refuges Save Lives on Smoke Days

When AQI exceeds 150, stay indoors with windows closed. Run a HEPA air purifier. N95 or P100 respirators are the only masks that filter fine smoke particles outdoors.

Only Reducing Wildfires Can Restore America's Clean Air

Prescribed burns, forest thinning, community fire breaks, and reducing carbon emissions are the only long-term fixes. Individual protection helps — but the real solution is systemic.