As Canada heads into the 2026 wildfire season, Canadians should expect smoke-filled skies to become a more regular part of summer, even in communities far removed from active fires.
As Canada heads into the 2026 wildfire season, Canadians should expect smoke-filled skies to become a more regular part of summer, even in communities far removed from active fires.
New insights from the University of Waterloo highlight how wildfire smoke is evolving into a widespread public health concern, with impacts that are harder to predict and increasingly difficult to avoid.
“Wildfires have historically been a major driver of harmful air pollution in Canada. Under climate change, that influence is expected to grow,” says Dr. Rebecca Saari, an Associate Professor of civil and environmental engineering at Waterloo and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Global Change, Atmosphere and Health. “Other work shows in recent years that wildfire smoke has caused annual health damages ranging from around half a billion to over $6 billion dollars a year.”
Read More at: University of Waterloo
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