Exploring how climate change is dramatically increasing wildfire smoke exposure across America, with projected health impacts that could exceed all other climate damages combined by 2050.

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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Lena: Hey there, Miles! I've been reading about this alarming trend in climate news—wildfires are getting worse across the US, and the smoke isn't just a local problem anymore.
Miles: It's pretty concerning, isn't it? A recent study in Nature found that wildfire smoke could cause over 71,000 excess deaths annually by 2050 under high-warming scenarios. That's a 73% increase from current levels!
Lena: Wait, seriously? That's staggering. I always thought of climate change impacts in terms of heat waves and flooding, but smoke traveling across the country seems like something we're not talking about enough.
Miles: Exactly. And what's really eye-opening is that when researchers monetized these projected smoke-related deaths, the economic damages actually exceeded existing estimates for all other climate-driven damages in the US combined.
Lena: Wow. And I imagine this isn't just a western states problem anymore, right?
Miles: Not at all. The smoke from these massive fires can travel thousands of miles. In fact, studies show that climate change has already made hundreds of historical heatwaves more likely and more intense, which directly contributes to wildfire conditions. Let's explore how scientists are connecting these dots between climate change, wildfires, and their growing impact on public health across the country.