Chronic exposure to particle pollution from wildfire smoke is linked to more than 24,000 deaths each year in the United States, as revealed by a new study.

Published in the journal Science Advances, the paper investigated the connection between long-term exposure to fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, which consists of particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller, and overall mortality across the contiguous United States from 2006 to 2020.

During this assessment period, researchers estimated that PM2.5 from wildfire smoke contributed to approximately 24,100 deaths annually.

The study also found that exposure to PM2.5 related to wildfires was associated with increased mortality across a wide range of causes, with the notable exceptions of deaths from transport accidents or falls.

Researchers emphasized that these findings highlight the critical public health risks posed by prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke.

They stressed the urgent need for effective mitigation strategies to address this escalating issue and protect public health.