Could wildfire smoke become America's leading climate health threat by 2050?

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Wildfire smoke may have killed more than 41,000 Americans annually from 2011-2020

The study suggests deaths from exposure to wildfire smoke could be America’s most significant climate health risks, affecting all regions.

In one of the most comprehensive pictures yet of the growing health risks associated with wildfire smoke, new research suggests ash and soot from burning wildlands has caused more than 41,000 excess deaths annually from 2011 to 2020.

By 2050, as global warming makes large swaths of North America hotter and drier, the annual death toll from smoke could reach between 68,000 and 71,000, without stronger preventive and public health measures.

“The numbers are very bi