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Wildfire smoke creates an orange glow over San Francisco, Sept. 9, 2020. Burak Arik/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Coping with Western wildfires: 5 essential reads

How climate change and other human actions have combined to create conditions for explosive wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington state.
An image from the International Space Station captures plumes of smoke from California wildfires on August 4, 2018. NASA

Wildfire smoke is becoming a nationwide health threat

Haze from Northern California wildfires has drifted as far east as Philadelphia. Wildfire smoke contains many potentially toxic substances, so anyone exposed to it should take basic precautions.
Flames and smoke shroud State Route 33 as a wildfire burns in Ventura, California, Dec. 5, 2017. Daniel Dreifuss via AP

Exposure to wildfire smoke: 5 questions answered

Intense wildfires in southern California are triggering air quality alerts. Health experts know surprisingly little about how inhaling smoke affects human health, especially over the long term.
Wildfire creates an orange glow in a view from a hilltop Oct. 13, 2017, in Geyserville, California. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

Wildfire smoke and health: 5 questions answered

Wildfires in California have triggered a public health emergency. One threat is smoke inhalation: Some air readings have registered pollution levels comparable to bad air days in Beijing or Mumbai.
Burning wood to heat your home is one of the great pleasures of the winter months. Sam Greenhalgh

Everyone loves a wood-burning heater but is the harm worth it?

At this time of year there’s nothing better than being warm and cosy in front of a blazing wood fire. But take a moment to walk outside and check your chimney - it could be polluting an entire neigbourhood…

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