Wildfire Smoke is Like Smoking 'Half a Pack a Day' Wildfires have become an increasingly familiar phenomenon in many parts of the world, unleashing vast plumes of smoke into the atmosphere that can be just as hazardous to human health as tobacco smoke.
Studies suggest that breathing wildfire smoke can be comparable to smoking half a pack of cigarettes per day – a sobering prospect for those living or working in areas plagued by these infernos.
Wildfire smoke contains an intricate web of chemicals and particles, including particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and volatile organic compounds.