<\/p>\n
Wildfire smoke is stoking a new challenge for cleaner air. A NASA-supported study published Thursday found that, over the last decade, wildfires have worsened ground-level ozone pollution across much of the contiguous United States, creating unhealthy air far from active flames.<\/p>\n
Wildfires have become an increasingly important contributor to ground-level ozone, or smog, across much of the United States, researchers report June 4 in the journal Science<\/a>. Nationally, fires offset nearly four years\u2019 worth of ozone-control gains, with larger setbacks in the West and Midwest.<\/p>\nSmoke often is associated with the soot, ash, and other fine particles that make the air look hazy. But wildfires also emit gases such as carbon monoxide, which can help form surface ozone in sunlight when other pollutants are present. Surface ozone is an invisible pollutant harmful to human health, plants, and crops. As smoke plumes travel and mix with other pollution, those reactions can drive ozone increases hundreds or even thousands of miles from active fires.<\/p>\n\u201cNASA Earth observations, along with ground monitoring networks, help reveal air quality risks from wildfires that can cross state lines, giving air quality managers better decision-making information as wildfire smoke affects more communities,\u201d said John Haynes, manager of NASA Earth Action\u2019s Health and Air Quality program at the agency\u2019s Headquarters in Washington. \u201cThis is a strong example of NASA science serving communities here in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\nBuilding a clearer ozone picture<\/h2>\nHigh in the atmosphere, ozone shields Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation<\/a>. Near the ground, however, ozone can irritate lungs, worsen asthma and other respiratory diseases, and increase health risks for children, older adults, outdoor workers, and people with existing health conditions.<\/p>\nTo track surface ozone changes, researchers turned to deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence that finds patterns across large datasets. They used it to build a first-of-its-kind dataset estimating daily surface ozone from 2003 to 2024 on a kilometer-by-kilometer grid \u2014 about 0.6 miles on each side \u2014 across the contiguous U.S. The work received support from NASA\u2019s Health and Air Quality program and other NASA grants.<\/p>\nThe scientists combined data from about 1,000 ground-based air quality stations with atmospheric model data, weather information, wildfire pollution data, and satellite-derived information, including products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS<\/a>) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS<\/a>) instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/video><\/figure>\nSmoke from Canada\u2019s 2023 wildfires spread across North America. Tan to deep red colors show smoke intensity, estimated from black carbon in NASA\u2019s GEOS-FP model.<\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) and NASA\u2019s Global Modeling Assimilation Office (GMAO)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTheir analysis revealed two distinct periods. From 2003 to 2015, U.S. ground-level ozone generally declined as emissions of ozone-forming pollutants decreased. After 2015, however, those gains slowed or reversed in many places. By comparing estimated ozone levels with scenarios that removed wildfire influence, the researchers found that pollution from wildfires was a main factor in that shift.<\/p>\nWithout the wildfire contribution, ground-level ozone in the Midwest, for example, would likely have continued to decline. Instead, wildfires erased about 5.3 years\u2019 worth of ozone-control progress since 2015.<\/p>\n\u201cPeople in the Midwest may think fires burning far away will not affect them,\u201d said the study\u2019s corresponding author Jun Wang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. \u201cBut once wildfire pollution is in the air, it can move across regions. Pollution from one place can affect air quality in another.\u201d<\/p>\nMeasuring the health toll<\/h2>\nThe study also found that wildfire-driven ozone increased exposure to unhealthy air and likely contributed to premature deaths. Premature deaths associated with long-term wildfire-related ozone exposure in the U.S. increased by an estimated 318 deaths per year after 2013, with the post-2013 average 46% higher than in the previous decade. The researchers calculated premature deaths using average lifespan, ozone exposure estimates, and population density.<\/p>\nThe 2023 Canadian wildfires<\/a> showed how widely those risks can spread, with smoke-driven ozone increases stretching across the Midwest and into parts of the Northeast and South. Overall, from 2022 to 2024, wildfires exposed an additional 43 million people in the U.S. to conditions that did not meet current federal air quality standards for ozone, the researchers estimated.<\/p>\nCapturing that national picture is difficult from ground monitors alone. Ground monitors remain the backbone of U.S. air quality tracking, but they do not cover every community. NASA\u2019s scientifically validated satellite observations and models help researchers and agencies see air quality patterns across states, regions, and fire seasons.<\/p>\nThat broader air quality work includes newer missions such as TEMPO<\/a> (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). Launched in 2023, TEMPO is NASA\u2019s first mission to use a space-based spectrometer to provide hourly daytime measurements of air quality over North America. Its view is sharp enough to distinguish pollution patterns, including surface ozone, across areas only a few square miles wide, a major improvement over earlier satellites.<\/p>\nTogether, these capabilities help researchers and agencies see smoke-related ozone patterns that might otherwise be harder to detect, especially in rural and remote areas.<\/p>\nThe work also points toward a practical use of NASA science during fire season. Wang\u2019s team has used NASA support to develop FireAQ, a decision-support system that brings satellite observations, model forecasts, and fire and aerosol products into weekly briefings with state and local air quality officials<\/a>. The goal is to help officials see where smoke-related pollution may move next and give communities better information.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDiscover more about NASA\u2019s air quality observations<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/h2>\n<\/div>\nWriter\/Editor (IV), Earth Science Division<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJun 04, 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nContact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/div>\nemily.p.demarco@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLocation<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nEarth<\/a><\/li>\nAir Quality<\/a><\/li>\nEarth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/a><\/li>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\nHuman Dimensions<\/a><\/li>\nWildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4 min read<\/div>\n\nA Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nAn astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t14 hours ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nTyphoon Jangmi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nThe sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nFire\u2019s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nA wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Smoke often is associated with the soot, ash, and other fine particles that make the air look hazy. But wildfires also emit gases such as carbon monoxide, which can help form surface ozone in sunlight when other pollutants are present. Surface ozone is an invisible pollutant harmful to human health, plants, and crops. As smoke plumes travel and mix with other pollution, those reactions can drive ozone increases hundreds or even thousands of miles from active fires.<\/p>\n
\u201cNASA Earth observations, along with ground monitoring networks, help reveal air quality risks from wildfires that can cross state lines, giving air quality managers better decision-making information as wildfire smoke affects more communities,\u201d said John Haynes, manager of NASA Earth Action\u2019s Health and Air Quality program at the agency\u2019s Headquarters in Washington. \u201cThis is a strong example of NASA science serving communities here in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n
High in the atmosphere, ozone shields Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation<\/a>. Near the ground, however, ozone can irritate lungs, worsen asthma and other respiratory diseases, and increase health risks for children, older adults, outdoor workers, and people with existing health conditions.<\/p>\nTo track surface ozone changes, researchers turned to deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence that finds patterns across large datasets. They used it to build a first-of-its-kind dataset estimating daily surface ozone from 2003 to 2024 on a kilometer-by-kilometer grid \u2014 about 0.6 miles on each side \u2014 across the contiguous U.S. The work received support from NASA\u2019s Health and Air Quality program and other NASA grants.<\/p>\nThe scientists combined data from about 1,000 ground-based air quality stations with atmospheric model data, weather information, wildfire pollution data, and satellite-derived information, including products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS<\/a>) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS<\/a>) instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/video><\/figure>\nSmoke from Canada\u2019s 2023 wildfires spread across North America. Tan to deep red colors show smoke intensity, estimated from black carbon in NASA\u2019s GEOS-FP model.<\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) and NASA\u2019s Global Modeling Assimilation Office (GMAO)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTheir analysis revealed two distinct periods. From 2003 to 2015, U.S. ground-level ozone generally declined as emissions of ozone-forming pollutants decreased. After 2015, however, those gains slowed or reversed in many places. By comparing estimated ozone levels with scenarios that removed wildfire influence, the researchers found that pollution from wildfires was a main factor in that shift.<\/p>\nWithout the wildfire contribution, ground-level ozone in the Midwest, for example, would likely have continued to decline. Instead, wildfires erased about 5.3 years\u2019 worth of ozone-control progress since 2015.<\/p>\n\u201cPeople in the Midwest may think fires burning far away will not affect them,\u201d said the study\u2019s corresponding author Jun Wang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. \u201cBut once wildfire pollution is in the air, it can move across regions. Pollution from one place can affect air quality in another.\u201d<\/p>\nMeasuring the health toll<\/h2>\nThe study also found that wildfire-driven ozone increased exposure to unhealthy air and likely contributed to premature deaths. Premature deaths associated with long-term wildfire-related ozone exposure in the U.S. increased by an estimated 318 deaths per year after 2013, with the post-2013 average 46% higher than in the previous decade. The researchers calculated premature deaths using average lifespan, ozone exposure estimates, and population density.<\/p>\nThe 2023 Canadian wildfires<\/a> showed how widely those risks can spread, with smoke-driven ozone increases stretching across the Midwest and into parts of the Northeast and South. Overall, from 2022 to 2024, wildfires exposed an additional 43 million people in the U.S. to conditions that did not meet current federal air quality standards for ozone, the researchers estimated.<\/p>\nCapturing that national picture is difficult from ground monitors alone. Ground monitors remain the backbone of U.S. air quality tracking, but they do not cover every community. NASA\u2019s scientifically validated satellite observations and models help researchers and agencies see air quality patterns across states, regions, and fire seasons.<\/p>\nThat broader air quality work includes newer missions such as TEMPO<\/a> (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). Launched in 2023, TEMPO is NASA\u2019s first mission to use a space-based spectrometer to provide hourly daytime measurements of air quality over North America. Its view is sharp enough to distinguish pollution patterns, including surface ozone, across areas only a few square miles wide, a major improvement over earlier satellites.<\/p>\nTogether, these capabilities help researchers and agencies see smoke-related ozone patterns that might otherwise be harder to detect, especially in rural and remote areas.<\/p>\nThe work also points toward a practical use of NASA science during fire season. Wang\u2019s team has used NASA support to develop FireAQ, a decision-support system that brings satellite observations, model forecasts, and fire and aerosol products into weekly briefings with state and local air quality officials<\/a>. The goal is to help officials see where smoke-related pollution may move next and give communities better information.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDiscover more about NASA\u2019s air quality observations<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/h2>\n<\/div>\nWriter\/Editor (IV), Earth Science Division<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJun 04, 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nContact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/div>\nemily.p.demarco@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLocation<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nEarth<\/a><\/li>\nAir Quality<\/a><\/li>\nEarth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/a><\/li>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\nHuman Dimensions<\/a><\/li>\nWildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4 min read<\/div>\n\nA Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nAn astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t14 hours ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nTyphoon Jangmi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nThe sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nFire\u2019s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nA wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
To track surface ozone changes, researchers turned to deep learning, a form of artificial intelligence that finds patterns across large datasets. They used it to build a first-of-its-kind dataset estimating daily surface ozone from 2003 to 2024 on a kilometer-by-kilometer grid \u2014 about 0.6 miles on each side \u2014 across the contiguous U.S. The work received support from NASA\u2019s Health and Air Quality program and other NASA grants.<\/p>\n
The scientists combined data from about 1,000 ground-based air quality stations with atmospheric model data, weather information, wildfire pollution data, and satellite-derived information, including products from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS<\/a>) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS<\/a>) instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/video><\/figure>\nSmoke from Canada\u2019s 2023 wildfires spread across North America. Tan to deep red colors show smoke intensity, estimated from black carbon in NASA\u2019s GEOS-FP model.<\/div>\nNASA\u2019s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) and NASA\u2019s Global Modeling Assimilation Office (GMAO)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nTheir analysis revealed two distinct periods. From 2003 to 2015, U.S. ground-level ozone generally declined as emissions of ozone-forming pollutants decreased. After 2015, however, those gains slowed or reversed in many places. By comparing estimated ozone levels with scenarios that removed wildfire influence, the researchers found that pollution from wildfires was a main factor in that shift.<\/p>\nWithout the wildfire contribution, ground-level ozone in the Midwest, for example, would likely have continued to decline. Instead, wildfires erased about 5.3 years\u2019 worth of ozone-control progress since 2015.<\/p>\n\u201cPeople in the Midwest may think fires burning far away will not affect them,\u201d said the study\u2019s corresponding author Jun Wang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. \u201cBut once wildfire pollution is in the air, it can move across regions. Pollution from one place can affect air quality in another.\u201d<\/p>\nMeasuring the health toll<\/h2>\nThe study also found that wildfire-driven ozone increased exposure to unhealthy air and likely contributed to premature deaths. Premature deaths associated with long-term wildfire-related ozone exposure in the U.S. increased by an estimated 318 deaths per year after 2013, with the post-2013 average 46% higher than in the previous decade. The researchers calculated premature deaths using average lifespan, ozone exposure estimates, and population density.<\/p>\nThe 2023 Canadian wildfires<\/a> showed how widely those risks can spread, with smoke-driven ozone increases stretching across the Midwest and into parts of the Northeast and South. Overall, from 2022 to 2024, wildfires exposed an additional 43 million people in the U.S. to conditions that did not meet current federal air quality standards for ozone, the researchers estimated.<\/p>\nCapturing that national picture is difficult from ground monitors alone. Ground monitors remain the backbone of U.S. air quality tracking, but they do not cover every community. NASA\u2019s scientifically validated satellite observations and models help researchers and agencies see air quality patterns across states, regions, and fire seasons.<\/p>\nThat broader air quality work includes newer missions such as TEMPO<\/a> (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). Launched in 2023, TEMPO is NASA\u2019s first mission to use a space-based spectrometer to provide hourly daytime measurements of air quality over North America. Its view is sharp enough to distinguish pollution patterns, including surface ozone, across areas only a few square miles wide, a major improvement over earlier satellites.<\/p>\nTogether, these capabilities help researchers and agencies see smoke-related ozone patterns that might otherwise be harder to detect, especially in rural and remote areas.<\/p>\nThe work also points toward a practical use of NASA science during fire season. Wang\u2019s team has used NASA support to develop FireAQ, a decision-support system that brings satellite observations, model forecasts, and fire and aerosol products into weekly briefings with state and local air quality officials<\/a>. The goal is to help officials see where smoke-related pollution may move next and give communities better information.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDiscover more about NASA\u2019s air quality observations<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/h2>\n<\/div>\nWriter\/Editor (IV), Earth Science Division<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJun 04, 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nContact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/div>\nemily.p.demarco@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLocation<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nEarth<\/a><\/li>\nAir Quality<\/a><\/li>\nEarth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/a><\/li>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\nHuman Dimensions<\/a><\/li>\nWildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4 min read<\/div>\n\nA Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nAn astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t14 hours ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nTyphoon Jangmi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nThe sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nFire\u2019s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nA wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Their analysis revealed two distinct periods. From 2003 to 2015, U.S. ground-level ozone generally declined as emissions of ozone-forming pollutants decreased. After 2015, however, those gains slowed or reversed in many places. By comparing estimated ozone levels with scenarios that removed wildfire influence, the researchers found that pollution from wildfires was a main factor in that shift.<\/p>\n
Without the wildfire contribution, ground-level ozone in the Midwest, for example, would likely have continued to decline. Instead, wildfires erased about 5.3 years\u2019 worth of ozone-control progress since 2015.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople in the Midwest may think fires burning far away will not affect them,\u201d said the study\u2019s corresponding author Jun Wang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. \u201cBut once wildfire pollution is in the air, it can move across regions. Pollution from one place can affect air quality in another.\u201d<\/p>\n
The study also found that wildfire-driven ozone increased exposure to unhealthy air and likely contributed to premature deaths. Premature deaths associated with long-term wildfire-related ozone exposure in the U.S. increased by an estimated 318 deaths per year after 2013, with the post-2013 average 46% higher than in the previous decade. The researchers calculated premature deaths using average lifespan, ozone exposure estimates, and population density.<\/p>\n
The 2023 Canadian wildfires<\/a> showed how widely those risks can spread, with smoke-driven ozone increases stretching across the Midwest and into parts of the Northeast and South. Overall, from 2022 to 2024, wildfires exposed an additional 43 million people in the U.S. to conditions that did not meet current federal air quality standards for ozone, the researchers estimated.<\/p>\nCapturing that national picture is difficult from ground monitors alone. Ground monitors remain the backbone of U.S. air quality tracking, but they do not cover every community. NASA\u2019s scientifically validated satellite observations and models help researchers and agencies see air quality patterns across states, regions, and fire seasons.<\/p>\nThat broader air quality work includes newer missions such as TEMPO<\/a> (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). Launched in 2023, TEMPO is NASA\u2019s first mission to use a space-based spectrometer to provide hourly daytime measurements of air quality over North America. Its view is sharp enough to distinguish pollution patterns, including surface ozone, across areas only a few square miles wide, a major improvement over earlier satellites.<\/p>\nTogether, these capabilities help researchers and agencies see smoke-related ozone patterns that might otherwise be harder to detect, especially in rural and remote areas.<\/p>\nThe work also points toward a practical use of NASA science during fire season. Wang\u2019s team has used NASA support to develop FireAQ, a decision-support system that brings satellite observations, model forecasts, and fire and aerosol products into weekly briefings with state and local air quality officials<\/a>. The goal is to help officials see where smoke-related pollution may move next and give communities better information.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDiscover more about NASA\u2019s air quality observations<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/h2>\n<\/div>\nWriter\/Editor (IV), Earth Science Division<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJun 04, 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nContact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/div>\nemily.p.demarco@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLocation<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nEarth<\/a><\/li>\nAir Quality<\/a><\/li>\nEarth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/a><\/li>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\nHuman Dimensions<\/a><\/li>\nWildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4 min read<\/div>\n\nA Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nAn astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t14 hours ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nTyphoon Jangmi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nThe sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nFire\u2019s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nA wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Capturing that national picture is difficult from ground monitors alone. Ground monitors remain the backbone of U.S. air quality tracking, but they do not cover every community. NASA\u2019s scientifically validated satellite observations and models help researchers and agencies see air quality patterns across states, regions, and fire seasons.<\/p>\n
That broader air quality work includes newer missions such as TEMPO<\/a> (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). Launched in 2023, TEMPO is NASA\u2019s first mission to use a space-based spectrometer to provide hourly daytime measurements of air quality over North America. Its view is sharp enough to distinguish pollution patterns, including surface ozone, across areas only a few square miles wide, a major improvement over earlier satellites.<\/p>\nTogether, these capabilities help researchers and agencies see smoke-related ozone patterns that might otherwise be harder to detect, especially in rural and remote areas.<\/p>\nThe work also points toward a practical use of NASA science during fire season. Wang\u2019s team has used NASA support to develop FireAQ, a decision-support system that brings satellite observations, model forecasts, and fire and aerosol products into weekly briefings with state and local air quality officials<\/a>. The goal is to help officials see where smoke-related pollution may move next and give communities better information.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDiscover more about NASA\u2019s air quality observations<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/h2>\n<\/div>\nWriter\/Editor (IV), Earth Science Division<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJun 04, 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nContact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/div>\nemily.p.demarco@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLocation<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nEarth<\/a><\/li>\nAir Quality<\/a><\/li>\nEarth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/a><\/li>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\nHuman Dimensions<\/a><\/li>\nWildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4 min read<\/div>\n\nA Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nAn astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t14 hours ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nTyphoon Jangmi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nThe sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nFire\u2019s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nA wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Together, these capabilities help researchers and agencies see smoke-related ozone patterns that might otherwise be harder to detect, especially in rural and remote areas.<\/p>\n
The work also points toward a practical use of NASA science during fire season. Wang\u2019s team has used NASA support to develop FireAQ, a decision-support system that brings satellite observations, model forecasts, and fire and aerosol products into weekly briefings with state and local air quality officials<\/a>. The goal is to help officials see where smoke-related pollution may move next and give communities better information.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tDiscover more about NASA\u2019s air quality observations<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/circle><\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\nAbout the Author<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/h2>\n<\/div>\nWriter\/Editor (IV), Earth Science Division<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShare<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/circle><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDetails<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLast Updated<\/div>\n<\/div>\nJun 04, 2026<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nContact<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nEmily DeMarco<\/div>\nemily.p.demarco@nasa.gov<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nLocation<\/div>\n<\/div>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nRelated Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nEarth<\/a><\/li>\nAir Quality<\/a><\/li>\nEarth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/a><\/li>\nGoddard Space Flight Center<\/a><\/li>\nHuman Dimensions<\/a><\/li>\nWildfires<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\nExplore More<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n4 min read<\/div>\n\nA Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nAn astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t14 hours ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n2 min read<\/div>\n\nTyphoon Jangmi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nThe sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tArticle<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n3 min read<\/div>\n\nFire\u2019s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island<\/h3>\n<\/div>\nA wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
An astronaut\u2019s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place\u2026<\/p>\n
<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
The sprawling storm promised to deliver torrential rain across a wide swath of southern Japan.<\/p>\n
A wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island,\u2026<\/p>\n