Wildfires, heat waves ‘endanger air quality’
This photograph shows a plume of smoke engulfing trees during a wildfire near Etsaut, southwestern France, on September 6, 2026. (AFP Photo)
Wildfires and heat waves, which generate microscopic airborne pollutants, risk undermining international efforts to improve air quality, protect human health and safeguard nature, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Sept. 7.
The United Nations’ weather and climate agency underlined the links between air pollution and climate change, which scientists say is leading to more frequent and more intense heatwaves and wildfires.
“Extreme wildfires are increasing, leading to big health consequences because of the high toxicity of smoke,” the WMO said in a statement accompanying its latest annual Air Quality and Climate Bulletin.
