The climate emergency has produced several on-the-nose metaphorical moments lately, such as an art museum founded by oil baron J. Paul Getty being threatened by the Palisades fire in Los Angeles in January or a superyacht’s fireworks sparking a wildfire in Greece last year. But nothing tops how more than $1 trillion in U.S. wages has gone up in literal smoke from fires hundreds of miles away, according to a new study.

It’s a reminder that climate change is no longer a problem for our grandchildren but is inflicting profound economic and health damage right now. It’s also a reminder there are few if any places to hide from the consequences of our failure to address this crisis.

From 2020 through 2024, U.S. workers in the retail, wholesale, transportation, construction, mining and agricult

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