Wildfire Smoke Threatens Heart, Lung Health For Months Afterward

FRIDAY, May 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Skies choked with wildfire smoke can affect people’s heart and lung health for up to three months afterwards, a new study says.

The particle pollution created by wildfires continues to increase people’s risk of hospitalization for months after the smoke clears, researchers reported May 28 in the journal Epidemiology.

“Even brief exposures from smaller fires that last only a few days can lead to long-lasting health effects,” lead researcher Yaguang Wei said in a news release. Wei is an assistant professor of environmental medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.