The health effects of wildfire smoke

Worker approaches a blazing wildfire in a forest.

DEOHS wildfire experts are investigating how smoke affects our health and strategies to reduce its impacts

 

DEOHS wildfire smoke experts were featured in a recent webinar hosted by the UW School of Public Health

Wildfires are natural and inevitable in our forestlands. Climate change is making our wildfire seasons longer, hotter and more dangerous.

The UW Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) has a long history of leading research into the impacts of wildfires on human health.

Through our research and outreach activities, DEOHS faculty and students are building our understanding of how wildfire smoke can damage our health and the best ways to protect people and communities from harm.

Learn about our impact, research and expertise below.

Our impact

3 people wearing face masks stand next to weather monitoring equipment inside a chain-link fence.

Heat, fire, smoke and health in Washington’s ag industry

DEOHS researchers investigate the combined health effects of wildfire smoke and heat on Washington’s agricultural workforce and test strategies to protect workers and crops

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Wildfire smoke with mountains in the background and evergreens in the foreground.

Facing wildfire smoke amid COVID-19

Communities need connection to weather wildfire smoke and climate change, but the pandemic is making it harder to come together

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Portrait of Nicole Errett

Master of disaster

DEOHS Lecturer Nicole Errett is this year’s Outstanding Faculty Mentor

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A woman in a purple shirt smiles against an outdoor backdrop of trees and mountains.

Landing her dream job

2020 Outstanding Master’s student Kaitlyn Kelly credits her mentors with helping launch her career in environmental health

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Portrait of Alexa Yadama with trees in the background

Finding beauty in the details

This scholar and ultimate frisbee star is using science to protect people’s health

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A woman in a bike helmet looks out over a lake toward wildfire smoke in the distance

The odds of death from wildfire smoke

New UW study finds increase in risk of dying in the days after exposure to wildfire smoke

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In the news

New studies tie unrecognized deaths and health problems to Maui and LA wildfires
August 6, 2025 | ABC News | Featured: Kristie L. Ebi View

How to limit smoke exposure through wildfire season
August 5, 2025 | KIRO 7 | Featured: Coralynn Sack View

Wildfire smoke settles over Seattle, impacts air quality in western Washington
August 5, 2025 | FOX 13 Seattle | Featured: Coralynn Sack View

Plan now to reduce wildfire smoke exposure
August 4, 2025 | UW Medicine | Featured: Coralynn Sack View

Researchers retract, then re-publish study linking wildfire smoke and dementia
July 10, 2025 | CBC | Featured: Joan Casey View