Wildfires Are Reversing Decades of U.S. Progress on Ground-Level Ozone Pollution
A study of atmospheric data from 2003 to 2024 found that wildfire smoke has reversed the United States' long-term decline in surface ozone pollution, with ozone levels increasing by about 0.13 parts per billion annually since 2015 after falling by 0.65 ppb annually from 2003 to 2015. Wildfires emit gases that form ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant that irritates lungs and worsens respiratory diseases, and the trend reversal coincides with increased wildfire severity across North America. This reversal undermines decades of air quality improvements achieved through vehicle and industrial emission regulations, and wildfire smoke can travel thousands of miles, affecting communities far from fire sources.
Researchers analyzing 22 years of ozone monitoring data found that wildfire smoke has reversed the United States' steady progress in reducing surface ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog. From 2003 to 2015, national ozone levels declined by approximately 0.65 parts per billion per year due to regulations on vehicles, power plants, and industrial sources. However, since 2015, as North American wildfires have become more severe, ozone levels have increased by about 0.13 parts per billion annually. The study, which combined EPA monitoring station data with satellite information and air quality modeling, estimated that ozone-related premature deaths from wildfires have increased by approximately 300 deaths per year since 2015. The impact extends far beyond western fire zones; smoke from Canadian wildfires in 2023 caused ozone to reach unhealthy levels across the Midwest and affected areas as far east as Georgia and New York, with 43 million additional Americans living in areas exceeding healthy ozone standards that year.
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- The ConversationCenter
Wildfires are reversing America’s progress on ozone pollution, the main ingredient in smog
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