Research links California wildfires to PM2.5, COVID deaths

Air emissions and public health data gathered by researchers in California show marked increases in deaths and hospitalizations during intense bursts of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution from wildfires, and also a notable increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths during the same periods. In an ongoing series of webinars hosted by the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA), air quality experts presented the results of recent studies focused on the health impacts of California wildfires, and on “prescribed fires” used...