Photo by Carson Masterson on Unsplash
It’s summer and wildfire season is here. Once again, much of North America will be breathing in smoky air from fires both near and far. 2026 has been especially bad for the Chicago area as heavy smoke from Ontario wildfires actually caused Chicago to have the worst air quality in the world on July 17th. In addition to inducing coughing, what does this really mean for your health? Why do we have wildfires? What can be done to reduce the frequency of smoke-producing wildfires? Along with discussing these questions, we will also explore the role that conservation plays in this.
What is the real health threat?
The greatest health concern from wildfire smoke is what we cannot see. Smoke contains tiny particles known as fine particulate matter, or PM2.5. These particles are less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, small enough to travel deep into the lungs and affect the body.
Exposure to high levels of PM2.5 can irritate the respiratory system, causing coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and worsening conditions such as asthma. More serious impacts can include reduced lung function and increased risks to cardiovascular health.
The people most vulnerable to smoke exposure include children, older adults, individuals with respiratory conditions, and those with heart-related health concerns. But even healthy people can experience discomfort and reduced performance during periods of poor air quality.
What is the Air Quality Index and what does it tell us?
One of the most important tools for understanding outdoor air pollution is the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The AQI translates complex measurements of pollutants into a simple scale that helps people understand when outdoor conditions may become unhealthy.
When smoke causes AQI levels to rise, everyday activities can require adjustments. Outdoor exercise, especially strenuous activity, may need to be postponed. Schools, workplaces, and community organizations may need to reconsider outdoor events. People may need to keep windows closed and improve indoor air filtration.
The impact of wildfire smoke can be significant. Some studies have compared prolonged exposure to unhealthy wildfire smoke conditions with the health impacts associated with smoking cigarettes. For example, breathing air with an AQI around 150 for several days has been estimated to be comparable to smoking multiple cigarettes per day.
Why do we have wildfires?
Wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems. Many forests and grasslands evolved with periodic fires that recycle nutrients, reduce dead vegetation, and help some plants reproduce.
Wildfires have both natural and human causes. Lightning is the primary natural ignition source, while nearly 85% of U.S. wildfires are caused by people through unattended campfires, equipment, debris burning, power lines, arson, and discarded cigarettes.
Fires may not be very predictable, but they do occur often enough and with appropriate severity to maintain a certain environmental equilibrium and help biodiversity. Native Americans understood this and often set fires intentionally to help keep the landscape healthy for their survival.
Climate change does not usually ignite fires, but it increases their risk. Hotter temperatures, earlier snowmelt, prolonged drought, and drier vegetation create conditions where fires spread faster, burn longer, and become more severe.
Other human factors matter, too. Land use, forest management, and expanding development in fire-prone areas also influence wildfire frequency and severity.
Brush fire spreads in McHenry County, Illinois, March 2025; Source of Image: Nunda Rural Fire Protection District
The result is that smoke events that once seemed unusual are becoming more common in many regions. Communities that historically rarely experienced wildfire smoke are now finding themselves needing plans to protect public health.
How can conservation help with minimizing wildfires?
Wildfires are a two-sided coin, with firefighting capacity on one side and mitigation on the other. Conservation primarily deals with mitigation, which can be hyper-local or on the scale of an entire landscape.
Conservation can reduce wildfire risk by restoring healthy forests, using prescribed burns, removing excess fuel, protecting fire-adapted ecosystems, limiting risky development, and educating the public to prevent human-caused ignitions.
And this is where The Conservation Foundation comes into play. They work on these fundamental issues. Their work ultimately mitigates the effects of wildfire and helps minimize smoke and improve air quality.
Over its 50+ years, The Conservation Foundation has addressed many facets of wildfires:
- Fires: fighting fire with prescribed fire in prairies and woodlands to remove nonnative invasive species
- Droughts: planting drought resistant plants, promoting water conservation, and advocating for improved cropland practices that lower water usage
- Land-use conversion: preservation and protection of forests, prairies, wetlands, streams, and lakes
- Environmental management: thinning small trees from dense forests and removing nonnative invasive species
- Education: teaching people of all ages about the latest conservation practices and providing environmental education
The next time a smoky haze appears on the horizon, it is worth remembering that air quality is not just about what we see in the sky. It is about the relationship between our health, our communities, and the changing planet we all share.
Ready to support conservation and proactively address wildfires? Well, conservation is what The Conservation Foundation does every day. We can all do more together than we can alone. Join our collective momentum – become a member today!
Feel free to comment on this blog with additional ideas you have on wildfires.
By Steve Stawarz, Oak Brook
DuPage County Community Council Member
Final Thought: While pondering about smoke, here are some songs for background listening: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Smoke On The Water, and Black Smoke Rising.