Lung Association urges Californians to create a clean room in advance of wildfire season

LOS ANGELES – Climate change is a public health emergency. Longer and more severe wildfire seasons due to rising global temperatures produce harmful smoke with far-reaching health impacts. In 2020, there were 57,000 wildfires in the U.S. that resulted in over 10.3 million acres burned, compared with 4.7 million acres in 2019.Smoke exposure from wildfires can harm not only those in the area, but can travel thousands of miles downwind, across states, countries and even oceans.

“Smoke inhalation can cause heart attacks and asthma episodes and can even lead to premature death,” Dr. Afif El-Hasan,...