Wildfires and heat waves threaten global air quality, UN weather agency warns

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a comprehensive warning highlighting how mounting environmental extremes are actively jeopardizing global air pollution control.

As reported by Reuters, Lorenzo Labrador, scientific officer at the WMO, said, “No matter how clean your city or your region is ... if you have a lot of pollution brought about by wildfires, that has the potential to negatively impact air quality in those regions as well.”

According to the UN weather agency, the growing frequency and intensity of climate-driven heat waves and runaway wildfires create hazardous feedback loops that degrade atmospheric safety.

Intense heat episodes trap stagnant air and accelerate harmful ground-level ozone formation, while widespread forest fires release massive plumes of fine particulate matter that travel across continents.

The report highlights the growing impact of fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, and ground-level ozone, pollutants linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

The weather agency also calls for improved monitoring of pollutants and aerosols, including black carbon and microplastics, which it said remain poorly tracked despite their widespread presence in the atmosphere.

These compounding hazards breach safe breathing thresholds for millions of people, exacerbating cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.

WMO officials emphasize that traditional air quality management models must adapt to these shifting climatic realities.

According to researchers, the study cited in the report found that extreme fire-smoke events have tripled globally since the 1990s and may have contributed to nearly 100,000 additional deaths annually between 2010 and 2018.

This year has been marked by extreme heat and destructive wildfires across parts of Europe, including Spain, France and Greece.

The WMO has said extreme heat is becoming more frequent, intense and longer-lasting as the planet warms.

Without integrated early warning systems and a stronger international response to curb climate drivers, public health agencies face mounting challenges in safeguarding populations against toxic air exposure.

In its annual report on air quality and the climate, the World Meteorological Organization said air pollution and climate change are closely linked and should be tackled through coordinated policies rather than in isolation.

It warned that meeting the World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines will become more difficult because extreme wildfires are more likely to occur in the future.