New study assesses how natural events are shaping human lifespans.
Wildfires are severe threats to the environment and human health, but it's unknown how much they impact modern life expectancies. (Photo: Getty Images)
Researchers have found evidence that living in areas prone to wildfire smoke may negatively impact an individual’s life expectancy.
In many parts of the contiguous United States, wildfires are rapidly growing more intense, endangering the humans and wildlife that live in the region. Even once fires are doused, serious health risks remain because of the many adverse effects caused by wildfire smoke and the airborne pollution that the blaze releases into the atmosphere.
Now, scientists at The Ohio State University have found that not only is wildfire smoke linked to a shortened lifespan, it also greatly diminishes the positive health impacts of local greenspaces, like forests or parks.
“When considering the environment’s effect on human life expectancy, we have to account for all kinds of factors,” said Yanni Cao, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher in environmental health sciences at Ohio State. “Forests, for example, provide essential ecosystem services to mitigate the impact of wildfire smoke because they can purify the air.”
Read the full article on Ohio State News.
