Scientists are working to untangle how wildfire smoke affects human health as fire weather becomes more common, with emergency departments reporting more respiratory patients during severe smoke events.
Key facts
- Smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario's boreal forests spread roughly 1,000 kilometres to Toronto, Canada's biggest city.
- Erin O'Connor, who runs University Health Network's emergency department, saw a rise in patients with allergies and shortness of breath.
- Air filters at Toronto General hospital were keeping patients safe from the worst of the fumes.
- Scientists are racing to understand the links between smoke exposure and mortality as fire weather grows more prevalent.
A thousand kilometres from wildfires burning through northern Ontario’s boreal forests, Erin O’Connor watched the sky above Toronto, Canada’s biggest city, turn what she described as an “almost post-apocalyptic” orange as it filled with light-scattering particles of soot and ash, according to the Guardian.
Stepping outside Toronto General hospital, where air filters were keeping patients safe from the worst of the fumes, O’Connor said she was struck by a smell so strong it felt like standing by a campfire. “It really hit you in the face as soon as you walked outside,” she told the Guardian.
O’Connor, who runs University Health Network’s emergency department, saw a rise in patients presenting with allergies and shortness of breath as the smoke settled over the region. “As the days progressed, it was like that everywhere,” she said. “It seemed even inside you could smell that burning.”
The episode illustrates how the effects of wildfires can reach far beyond the fire lines themselves, carrying hazardous particles across vast distances to densely populated urban areas hundreds of kilometres away.
According to the Guardian, scientists are now racing to untangle the complex links between smoke exposure and mortality, work that is becoming increasingly urgent as fire weather grows more prevalent.
Why it matters
Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds of kilometres, exposing millions of people who live far from any fire to hazardous air. Understanding the health toll is becoming more pressing as fire weather grows more common.
Frequently asked questions
How far did the wildfire smoke travel?
According to the Guardian, smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario's boreal forests spread roughly 1,000 kilometres to reach Toronto, Canada's biggest city.
What health effects were reported during the smoke event?
Erin O'Connor, who runs University Health Network's emergency department, said she saw a rise in patients presenting with allergies and shortness of breath.
How were hospital patients protected from the smoke?
The Guardian reports that air filters at Toronto General hospital were keeping patients safe from the worst of the fumes.