Archive: https://archive.today/E4P1Y From the post: >>Climate change is driving more frequent and more intense wildfires around the world, including in the United States. These huge blazes cause a range of problems that affect health, the environment, property and the economy. However, a new study reveals a surprising paradox: the heat from wildfires in the western U.S. may actually improve air quality in the eastern part of the country. Smoke and fine particles (known as PM2.5) from wildfires can travel hundreds or thousands of miles, posing severe health risks, such as respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Smoke from western U.S. fires is thought to contribute to hundreds of thousands of premature deaths in the eastern U.S. every year. However, in a paper published in the journal Science, researchers found that the intense heat they create can change weather patterns, which in turn reduces air pollution.