In Europe, wildfires are no longer isolated, exceptional occurrences, and are increasingly becoming a regular killing expression. Wildfires on the continent are rising in intensity and frequency driven by climate change, extreme heat, and human activity. Although the destruction of woods and properties is often highlighted in the news media, the less seen but more deadly effect is wildfire smoke health effects as a new multinational study published in The Lancet Planetary Health (2025) reveals.
The study was the largest on a continent (Europe) reporting on an excessive death crisis and reviewed daily mortality data in 654 regions in 32 countries in 2004-2022 covering more than 541 million inhabitants. The findings are disturbing wildfire smoke that contains fine particulate matter (PM2.5) massively elevates the chance of earlier death due to cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
Why Wildfire Smoke is More Hazardous than other Pollution
Air pollution is already known as one of the most common causes of death in the world environmentally. Yet, the smoke that comes with wildfires is not simply an alternative to other pollution rather, it is more dangerous and deadly.
An important burn constituent is fine particulate matter (PM2.5) which inhales deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream. In contrast to traffic/industrial pollution, the wildfire PM2.5 is rife in a variety of toxic chemical elements, including heavy metals and carcinogenic substances that are released during vegetation and building conflagrations.
According to the study, every 1 μg/m³ increase in wildfire PM2.5 was linked to:
0.7 percent relative increase inall-cause mortality
Trade in coal makes respiratory deaths increase by 1.3%
An increase of 0.9 per cent in cardiovascular deaths
It was shown that such risks were much high compared to non-wildfire-related PM2.5. Even worse, when applying the general air pollution measures (as opposed to the wildfire-specific ones), the actual number of deaths caused by wildfires was 93% lower than when there is a specific wildfire-related data.
Between Lives: Thousands of Lives are Lost Yearly
On average, the wildfire smoke has caused more than 535 deaths per year in Europe, the highest impacts having been reported in Eastern Europe (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Serbia) where the population working in the countryside is exposed more heavily.
The authors also revealed that the rural areas are impacted more than the urban dwellings not only because they are near the sources of fires but also due to their poor access to healthcare services and strategies to adapt to change.
These numbers are already on the rise as we enter the era of climate change and this is set to increase very rapidly in the next few decades. With even only moderate climate scenarios, there will be a tenfold rise of catastrophic fires in southern Europe, with a similar rise occurring in central and northern Europe as well.
The significance of this to climate policy and public health
This research has significant implication to both climate adaptation policies and the public health policy.
Heath assessments should take into consideration wildfire specific pollution: The use of general air pollution data significantly underestimates the risks, because countries are not sufficiently prepared.
Alarms and quick response initiatives are essential: A better prediction of dry cloud smoke plumes, alarms and prescribing safety equipment (such as N95s) can save lives.
There is no such thing as negotiable on climate change: As scientists point out, there is a feedback loop between climate change and wild fires-hotter, drier conditions spur fires, fires release that hugely destructive amount of carbon, aggravating the climate change further.
Protecting yourself in the wild fire smoke
Although macro-level intervention is necessary, as an individual, there are some actions that one can undertake to save him or herself during wildfires:
Check the air quality: The apps such as AirVisual or local government announcements are useful.
Remain inside within forced air: HEPA filters, when available.
Use N95/FFP2 masks outdoors: surgical masks cannot counter this fine particulates of smoke.
Obey evacuation notices swiftly: This is not to downplay exposure to smoke even many miles away from the fire collapse.
Conclusion: An Appeal to Act
Nobody thinks of wildfire smoke affecting someone unless it is during one of the summer seasons, and by then, it is too late, because now the wildfire smoke has become a silent killer. Europe has a rising climate related public health crisis, and that went on full display in Lancet study 2025. Health consequences will only increase unless steps are taken to mitigate these problems, including reducing emissions, doing a better job of fire management, and safeguarding vulnerable people.
References & Resources
Alari A, Ballester J, Milà C, et al. Quantifying the short-term mortality effects of wildfire smoke in Europe: a multicountry epidemiological study. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanplh.2025.101296
WHO – Air pollution and health
European Environment Agency – Climate change and wildfires in Europe