Filenews 1 September 2025
One reality of global warming is the increase and extent of wildfires. Their harmful effects create conditions that favour the appearance of new fires, as they emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which contribute to further warming.
Burned forests no longer contribute to the local hydrological cycle, nor do they provide shelter for wildlife. The roots do not hold the soil in place nor direct rain towards groundwater renewal. Dense foliage no longer exists to absorb solar radiation and reduce temperature, while local patterns of winds and rainfall have changed. "Small" local fires are not local problems. Globally, we are heading towards a tipping point for the climate, even for the Amazon rainforest, and whether it can be sustained. The "Dieback" effect describes this feedback loop of spreading local forest destruction. The Amazon is now in danger as a whole. The same happens in other places.
In addition to the wider ecological disasters that await us, fires are harmful to humans primarily because of the smoke that can travel hundreds of kilometers from the source of the fire, poisoning the human body with microparticles and a number of toxic elements. Fires in Canada are prematurely killing Americans – and vice versa. Burning and deforestation in Cambodia's agricultural lands are poisoning the inhabitants of the capital Phnom Penh. Policymakers easily ignore these conditions unless they are directly affected by them – in which case they may make sure that pollution is reduced by 14.5%. The more this issue is studied, the more it turns out to be a problem. Particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) are now considered hazardous, without even taking into account the material they are made of and the chemicals they may emit. This phenomenon has a cost for humans: the rate of diseases and the economic cost of health care increases, productivity decreases, and complex problems worsen environmental conditions.
The microparticles penetrate the interior of the lungs and pass into the bloodstream. The risk of heart disease and lung problems increases. Air pollution is estimated to cost the U.S. economy about 5 percent of GDP, causes premature death to about 135,000 people each year, and is the world's second most important risk factor for death. For the "curious", the first factor is high blood pressure, while in children under five years of age it is malnutrition.
How can we help poor children in developing countries who do not have enough food but have polluted air? Stop pollution and give them stable, growing economies to grow better. As the State Department explains, investing in air quality brings immediate benefits: "... For every dollar invested in cleaning up the atmosphere, $30-90 is returned in terms of better health and economic productivity. Reducing air pollution is an economic accelerator."
Solutions
Prevention. The air we breathe is full of toxic particles because humans release these poisons into the atmosphere. Industry, transport and electricity production are polluting. When fossil fuels are burned in vehicles and power plants, they release pollutants that are harmful to all of us. When we use solar or nuclear power to generate electricity instead of hydroelectric dams and coal, then we do not release inhaled poisons in the process. If we use electric cars and trains, if our cities are accessible on foot and by bike, then we are significantly reducing exhaust emissions.
Forests are carbon reservoirs and at the same time purify the air. One of the best ways to prevent pollutants from being emitted is to stop burning things. The burning of forests poisons the atmosphere. Preserve forests for air, water, for the good of all of us. The survival of our planet is at stake, as the fires will worsen if we do not change course.
By Suwanna Gauntlett
