Wildfire smoke had turned the sky orange in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland in 2020|John Floyd|CC BY-ND 2.0

Smoke from wildfires is engulfing the country, drastically reducing the air quality for millions. The number of people exposed to this unhealthy air has increased 27-fold in the past decade.

Wildfires release harmful smoke that travels thousands of miles across the country and can cause severe damage on inhalation. Over 25 million people have been breathing this toxic air in 2020, a study found. 

According to the study by the American Heart Association, people who inhaled smoke caused by the California wildfires in 2020 had raised their risk of “out-of-hospital cardiac arrests up to 70%.”

Wildfires also disrupt transportation, as it often creates a blanket of smoke, decreasing the visibility on roads and air.

Scientists say the increase in greenhouse gasses and poor forest management have contributed to the dramatic rise in wildfires.