All posts tagged: Smoke

UC Davis research to investigate wildfire smoke health effects

UC Davis research to investigate wildfire smoke health effects

Published by skeptic

Researchers at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) have launched a multidisciplinary programme to investigate how wildfire smoke affects human health. The WE-CAIR initiative, short for Wildfire Exposure: Cardiovascular and Airway Inflammation Research, brings together 22 investigators from across UC Davis and collaborators at UC San Diego School of Medicine. The programme is supported by a five-year $14.05m grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Researchers will examine the biological and social factors that contribute to health decline after wildfire smoke exposure, aiming to identify biomarkers of risk and potential pathways for prevention and treatment. The work comes as exposure to extreme wildfire smoke has risen sharply. Studies estimate that the number of people experiencing at least one day of extreme wildfire smoke exposure each year has increased 27-fold over the past decade. While exposure is known to worsen cardiovascular and pulmonary disease in the short term, longer-term wildfire smoke health effects remain poorly understood. Investigating how wildfire smoke affects health WE-CAIR is built around …

Commuters evacuated after smoke seen coming from train at Bukit Gombak station

Commuters evacuated after smoke seen coming from train at Bukit Gombak station

Published by Sam Flores

SINGAPORE: Commuters were evacuated from a train at Bukit Gombak station at about 11.40am after smoke was seen coming from underneath the carriage on Tuesday (Sep 15).  Preliminary checks suggest that the smoke may have been caused by a faulty brake, SMRT Trains President Lam Sheau Kai said in response to CNA queries.  “As a safety precaution, our staff promptly assisted all commuters to leave the train safely. The train was then withdrawn to the depot for further checks,” he said. “Train services continued to operate normally. There were no reports of commuters needing medical assistance.” Mr Ming Wing Cheong, 44, was one of the passengers asked to alight. He told CNA that he was “a little confused” as he was not told what was happening. “I saw smoke on the roof of one of the train cars,” Mr Ming said. He said that there was just an eight- to 10-minute delay while waiting for the next train. Source link

Wildfire smoke in forests reduces bird diversity

Wildfire smoke in forests reduces bird diversity

Published by skeptic

Researchers found that the breeding season following a forest fire was massively impacted by the smoke, with bird diversity reduced. Researchers seeking to further understand the long-term impact of forest fires on the ecosystem have identified a concerning pattern of reduction of the diversity of the bird population in the affected area- and surrounding environments that never burned. Wildfires pose obvious risk to homes and animal habitats in the immediate area- but what about the smoke they produce, which can travel for hundreds of miles on a strong wind? Sarah Meier, an environmental economist at ETH Zurich, investigated this in relation to avian populations in the US together with Eric Strobl from the University of Bern. Studying 15 years of avian data This involved the researchers factoring in data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, a long-term programme running since 1966 to monitor bird populations in North America. Each year, trained volunteers count all the birds they see or hear along fixed routes, each around 40 kilometres long, at some 50 stops. Meier and …

Indonesia sets up shelters for babies, children affected by wildfire smoke | News

Indonesia sets up shelters for babies, children affected by wildfire smoke | News

Published by Sam Flores

Indonesian NGOs have opened two shelters in Palangkaraya, on Borneo, for babies and children affected by hazardous wildfire smoke. More than five million people across Borneo and Sumatra are directly exposed to the health risks from smoke and haze caused by dozens of fires. Published On 29 Aug 202629 Aug 2026 Share Indonesia sets up shelters for babies, children affected by wildfire smoke on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Source link

Wildfire smoke deposits significant nutrient pulses through rainfall

Wildfire smoke deposits significant nutrient pulses through rainfall

Published by skeptic

Wildfire smoke is typically viewed as an airborne pollutant and a major threat to human health. But new research led by scientists at the University of Utah, Utah State University, and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies shows that its effects do not end in the atmosphere. When wildfire smoke and rainfall coincide, nutrients carried in smoke can be washed from the atmosphere and deposited across ecosystems. The study found that these events can deliver substantial amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, three nutrients essential to life, despite occurring on relatively few days each year. The findings reveal an overlooked consequence of wildfire activity. In 2022, smoke-rain events occurred on roughly 5% of days at the study sites but accounted for around 20-30% of the annual rain-deposited nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. As wildfires become more frequent and smoke spreads across larger areas, these nutrient pulses could become increasingly important. Tracking smoke from the sky to the ground The research represents the first large-scale assessment of how wildfire smoke is transported into ecosystems through rainfall across …

Matter Compatible Smoke Alarms Sensoreo MS1 Tested

Matter Compatible Smoke Alarms Sensoreo MS1 Tested

Published by skeptic

The Sensoreo MS1 Interlink smoke alarms offer a practical approach to enhancing home safety by allowing local interconnectivity without relying on cloud services. Designed to communicate through a secure thread network, these alarms ensure that when smoke is detected in one area, all alarms in the system activate simultaneously. This feature is particularly valuable for multi-story homes or large properties, where standalone alarms might fail to provide adequate coverage. Smart Life highlights how the MS1 Interlink’s compatibility with Matter-enabled platforms, such as Home Assistant and Google Home, further streamlines integration into modern smart home setups. Explore how these alarms provide actionable features like remote self-testing, real-time monitoring of battery levels and network feedback for optimizing placement. Learn how the wireless installation process simplifies setup, making it accessible even for DIY users. Additionally, gain insight into key considerations, such as the need for a thread border router and compatibility limitations with earlier MS1 models, to ensure the system meets your specific needs. This feature offers a comprehensive look at how the MS1 Interlink balances functionality, security …

Wildfire smoke is once again pouring across the United States

Wildfire smoke is once again pouring across the United States

Published by Sam Flores

Wildfire smoke is once again pouring across the United States following a weekend of new blazes across Canada’s British Columbia. A total of 11 new fires were reported across that province, where a state of emergency was declared on Saturday, with thousands forced to evacuate near Summerland, located about 40 miles north of the British Columbia-Washington state border. Source link

The latest thing Trump wants to stop at the border: smoke

The latest thing Trump wants to stop at the border: smoke

Published by Sam Flores

The smoke crossing the U.S.-Canada border has become the latest target of President Donald Trump’s tariff threats. As wildfire smoke from Canada continues to blanket parts of the United States, pushing air quality levels into unhealthy territory across portions of the Northeast and Midwest, Trump is blaming Canada’s forest management practices and arguing that Americans should not have to bear the costs. In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Canada of failing to properly maintain its forests and said the country’s alleged negligence had allowed “filthy, polluted and unhealthy air” to enter the United States. “I will call the Prime Minister during the day to find out what they are going to do about it,” Trump wrote, adding that the “incalculable” costs of the pollution “must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.” The comments came as millions of Americans were dealing with the consequences of wildfire smoke drifting south from Canada, where firefighters have been battling a difficult wildfire season marked by hundreds of active fires and strained resources. …

President Trump threatens Canada with tariffs due to wildfire smoke : NPR

President Trump threatens Canada with tariffs due to wildfire smoke : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Smoke from massive wildfires in Canada and Minnesota engulf the Washington, D.C. skyline on July 17, 2026, reducing visibility and casting a colored haze over the Lincoln Memorial. Finn Gomez/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Finn Gomez/Getty Images WASHINGTON — Poor air quality persisted in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states on Saturday, as smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Minnesota and Canada continued to spread and envelop skylines. The National Weather Service (NWS) said heavy rain and storms could help clear the air in the northeast and mid-Atlantic this weekend, while dangerous levels of air pollution will still hang over the Midwest. “As we start clearing out here in the east, they’re going to get the next batch of smoke later this afternoon into tonight across areas from upper Michigan, eastern Wisconsin, into Illinois and Indiana, including Chicago,” NWS Forecaster Brian Hurley told NPR. “That will continue through [Sunday], unfortunately.” Major League Baseball postponed Friday’s game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians due to poor air quality in Cleveland until Saturday. …

“Sanctions, Asset Freezes, Visa Bans, Tariffs”: GOP Senator Readies Bill Against Canada Over Toxic Wildfire Smoke

“Sanctions, Asset Freezes, Visa Bans, Tariffs”: GOP Senator Readies Bill Against Canada Over Toxic Wildfire Smoke

Published by Jenni Sidey

Summary: Questions Swirl Whether Ecoterrorism May Have Accelerated Wildfires  Economic Activity Impacted in Some States  WaPo Warns Smoke Plume To Worsen  GOP Members Blast Canada Over Toxic Smoke; Sanction Bill Against Canada Set To Be Introduced   Toxic Smoke Plume Over Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast  Canada’s Wildfire Management Failures Choke Millions Of Americans With Toxic Smoke GOP Sen. Prepares Sanctions Bill On Lefties in Canada   Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) appeared on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, hosted by Laura Ingraham, on Friday and provided new color about his bill to sanction Canada over the toxic wildfire smoke that has created an environmental disaster across parts of the U.S. Air-quality map as of Saturday morning: “We’re going to put sanctions on them, hold their assets, make sure they don’t have visas, and impose tariffs because we have to ensure that the people suffering are compensated,” Moreno told Ingraham. Moreno continued, “This is an abject, avoidable disaster. And the left, who by the way, talks about climate change every single day, this is the worst environmental …