Berkeley News, First-of-its-kind study links wildfire smoke to skin disease, written by Kara Manke, April 21, 2021 (link)

Wildfire smoke can affect the human body in a multitude of ways. While some people have developed a runny nose or cough, others have had heart attacks, strokes, and more. New studies are showing that smoke can now affect skin health in negative ways. There have been cases where polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and other gases, have gone through the skin and penetrated cells. People with eczema are even more at risk.    

I didn’t know there were so many ways that smoke from wildfires could affect people. It’s terrifying that even smoke from a campfire could trigger some of the reactions that were mentioned. The article also brought up an increase in prescribed medications, which I found really interesting. This means that the economy is being affected as well. Plus, as global temperatures increase, the number of wildfires increases. Not only does this cause pollution, but it also feeds into the greenhouse effect.