Air pollution resulting from fires is linked to over 1.5 million deaths each year across the globe, with the majority occurring in developing nations, according to a study published on Thursday that examines data from 2000 to 2019.
The study, published in The Lancet, suggests that the number of deaths may continue to rise in the coming years as climate change contributes to more frequent and intense wildfires. An international team of researchers analyzed existing data related to both wildfires in natural settings and agricultural land burning for field clearing.
Between 2000 and 2019, approximately 450,000 annual deaths from heart diseases were associated with air pollution originating from fires, the researchers found. Additionally, around 220,000 deaths from respiratory diseases were attributed to smoke and particulate matter released by these fires.
According to the study, a total of 1.53 million fatalities from all causes have been linked to fire-induced air pollution. More than 90% of these deaths occurred in low- or middle-income countries, with nearly 40% taking place in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
The authors of the study are calling for “urgent action” to tackle the significant death toll resulting from these fires, highlighting the “climate injustice” faced by poorer nations. They also noted that measures to avoid smoke exposure—such as relocating from heavily polluted areas, using air purifiers and masks, and remaining indoors—are often unavailable to residents of the poorest countries.
As a result, the researchers advocate for increased financial and technological support for communities in the most affected nations. This study was published one week after UN climate negotiations, during which delegates agreed on an increase in climate financing that developing countries deemed insufficient, and shortly after Ecuador declared a national state of emergency due to wildfires that have devastated over 10,000 hectares in the southern part of the country.
