forest fires
What’s causing Kansas City’s smog, ozone & air pollution?
Kansas City Star journalist Natalie Wallington reports on the factors contributing to high levels of air pollution in the KC metro.
In a nutshell:
According to a local air quality expert, the majority of air pollution in Kansas City is generated within the metro area itself, primarily from vehicle exhaust, power generation, and volatile chemicals. Although Canadian wildfires contributed to some of the recent pollution, a zone of high air pressure has settled over Kansas City, leading to smoggy skies and a lack of wind. This weather pattern traps ground-level ozone, which is exacerbated by the sunny conditions, resulting in higher-than-usual ozone levels. The expert also highlighted the increase in emissions from vehicle and industrial activities as the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. While short-term pollution levels depend on wind patterns, the expert anticipates poor air quality becoming more common in the long term due to the climate crisis.
Key quote:
“There is a role that climate change is playing, both in terms of what kind of weather patterns we can expect to see, and (in) predisposition for forest fires to occur (elsewhere),” MARC air quality expert Doug Norsby said.
Read more at: https://www.kansascity.com/news/weather-news/artic...The big picture:
Air pollution poses significant health dangers, and the risk is further amplified by the impact of climate change. Breathing polluted air can lead to a range of health problems, including respiratory issues, heart disease, and even premature death. Pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation and damaging lung tissue. As climate change worsens, extreme weather events, heatwaves, and wildfires become more frequent, releasing additional pollutants into the air. Rising temperatures and stagnant air patterns also contribute to the formation of harmful ground-level ozone, intensifying the health risks associated with air pollution.
Read the whole story at the Kansas City Star.
EHN's Kristina Marusic wrote about how reducing air pollution could lower cancer rates.
In a nutshell:
According to a local air quality expert, the majority of air pollution in Kansas City is generated within the metro area itself, primarily from vehicle exhaust, power generation, and volatile chemicals. Although Canadian wildfires contributed to some of the recent pollution, a zone of high air pressure has settled over Kansas City, leading to smoggy skies and a lack of wind. This weather pattern traps ground-level ozone, which is exacerbated by the sunny conditions, resulting in higher-than-usual ozone levels. The expert also highlighted the increase in emissions from vehicle and industrial activities as the economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. While short-term pollution levels depend on wind patterns, the expert anticipates poor air quality becoming more common in the long term due to the climate crisis.
Key quote:
“There is a role that climate change is playing, both in terms of what kind of weather patterns we can expect to see, and (in) predisposition for forest fires to occur (elsewhere),” MARC air quality expert Doug Norsby said.
Read more at: https://www.kansascity.com/news/weather-news/artic...The big picture:
Air pollution poses significant health dangers, and the risk is further amplified by the impact of climate change. Breathing polluted air can lead to a range of health problems, including respiratory issues, heart disease, and even premature death. Pollutants such as particulate matter and ozone can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing inflammation and damaging lung tissue. As climate change worsens, extreme weather events, heatwaves, and wildfires become more frequent, releasing additional pollutants into the air. Rising temperatures and stagnant air patterns also contribute to the formation of harmful ground-level ozone, intensifying the health risks associated with air pollution.
Read the whole story at the Kansas City Star.
EHN's Kristina Marusic wrote about how reducing air pollution could lower cancer rates.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Photo by Michael Held on Unsplash
How climate change is causing 'mega-fires' and forcing people to migrate in Portugal
Six years ago, a new kind of fire hit Portugal. It killed 66 people. For those lucky enough to survive, the experience still haunts them.
Newsletter
Climate change: Carbon offsetting isn't working – here's how to fix it
Carbon offsetting is often met with scepticism, but a new report suggests that if correctly designed it can be an important part of the net zero transition.
US to plant 1 billion trees as climate change kills forests
The Biden administration says the government will plant more than one billion trees across millions of acres of burned and dead woodlands in the U.S. West, as officials struggle to counter the increasing toll on the nation's forests from wildfires, insects and other manifestations of climate change.
Climate change is why New Mexico's wildfire season started early this year
Historically, New Mexico’s wildfire season begins in May or June, but this year, wildfires sprung up in April. Scientists say that this is not just a freak occurrence but rather the new normal caused by climate change.
Newsletter
The fastest population growth in the West's wildland-urban interface is in areas most vulnerable to wildfires
A new study maps vegetation’s fire risk across the West and shows where population in the highest-risk areas from California to Texas is booming.
How fire threatened California’s sequoias
In September, lightning sparked wildfires in California that spread to more than 185,000 acres, including to sequoia groves that are home to some of the world’s oldest and biggest trees.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
