Wildfire Smoke

Fine-particle smoke during wildfire season.

58Moderate burden · out of 100

Cleaner swapHEPA air purifier indoors; a fitted N95 outdoors

How this score is built

100Start
77Chemical hazard 5 × 4.6−23
63.4Everyday exposure 4 × 3.4−13.6
58Persistence 2 × 2.6−5.2, then rounded to 58
ModerateThe band58 sits in 40–59.

What each input rests on

The three ratings behind the score, and the studies each rests on
Input	Rating	Evidence
Chemical hazard	5/10	In Southern California, a 10 µg/m³ rise in wildfire-specific PM2.5 was associated with 1.3% up to 10% more respiratory hospitalisations, against 0.67% to 1.3% for the same rise in PM2.5 from other sources. Wildfire smoke impacts respiratory health more than fine particles from other sources: observational evidence from Southern California · Nat Commun 2021 DOI 10.1038/s41467-021-21708-0 · PMID 33674571 · Abstract · read 2026-10-21
Everyday exposure	4/10	unsourced input
Persistence	2/10	unsourced input

Ratings are editorial. A study listed here supports the rating; it did not compute it. How the index is built

What this means for you

Wildfire smoke is loaded with fine PM2.5 that reaches deep into the lungs. On smoky days, a HEPA purifier indoors and a fitted N95 outdoors cut what you breathe in.

Evidence strength: strong

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Lower-exposure choices

Regular Sauna UseMinimal · Environment

Regular Exercise & SweatMinimal · Environment

All 19 environment entries, highest burden first →