Wildfire smoke is worse than you think
August 3, 2026 •
According to Tarik Benmarhnia, a UC San Diego environmental epidemiologist, particulate matter from wildfire smoke can be up to 10 times more harmful than ambient air pollution. (Credit: Eric Thayer)
It’s not your imagination: things are getting smokier. Here in California, across the country and around the world, more people are breathing heavier smoke from more wildfires, more often.
Scientists at the University of California are studying how this growing crisis affects our health — and the findings are alarming. A new article from the UC Newsroom shares what you need to know, including:
- What makes wildfire smoke dangerous
- Why wildfire smoke is worse than other forms of air pollution
- Eight new findings from UC wildfire research
Read the article here
Tags: health, research, wildfire, wildfire smoke
