Blog
Is The Cram Fire in Oregon a “Megafire”? Experts Disagree
On July 13, 2025, a fire ignited near Willowdale, Oregon, in the remote grasslands of Jefferson County. In the days that followed, it exploded across the region, forcing evacuations, destroying buildings, and blackening the skies. Now spanning more than 95,000...
New Research: Cleaner Air Leads to Better Gut Health
We’ve long known that the air we breathe can shape our respiratory health—but new research is showing that indoor air pollution may also impact something deep inside our bodies: our gut microbiome and virome. That’s right. A recent randomized controlled...
The Hidden Toll of Wildfires: A Crisis Beyond the Flames
Wildfires are among the most dramatic and destructive events of our time—burning homes, displacing communities, and reshaping entire landscapes. But beyond the visible devastation, a quieter and more insidious crisis is unfolding. As the climate warms and wildfires become more...
Air Pollution Meets True Crime with THREE Serial Killers
In Caroline Fraser’s new book Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers (Penguin Press), a chilling but overlooked factor emerges from the shadows of true crime history: environmental toxins. 1 Fraser reveals that three of history’s most...
ONGOING AIR QUALITY ALERT: Canadian Wildfires
Updated: Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 4:30 PM (EST) Canadian wildfire smoke continues to impact air quality across the United States, with significant effects observed in the Upper Midwest and Northeast regions. In Minnesota, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)...
Air Quality Alert in the Midwest and Canadian Prairies
Updated: Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 2 PM (EST) Smoke from extensive wildfires in Canada—especially in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta—continues to drift southward, combining with regional fires in Minnesota, creating dangerous air quality conditions across parts of the Upper Midwest...
Wildfire Particulate Matter: Chilling News Plus Safety Tips
During the summer of 2023, the northeastern United States, particularly the densely populated New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, experienced a significant environmental event: the arrival of wildfire particulate matter (WFPM) from extensive Canadian forest fires. A recent study published in...
Wildfires Threaten More than ⅓ of Population and Buildings
The scope of wildfire risk across the United States has become alarmingly clear and it’s much greater than previously recognized. A new analysis, released by the team at Wildfire Risk to Communities (wildfire risk.org), states that over one-third of the...
Burn Smart: Safeguard Respiratory Health Around Bonfires
As we approach Memorial Day, the unofficial kickoff to summer 2024, many of us are eagerly anticipating outdoor gatherings, BBQs, and, of course, cozy bonfires under the starry night sky. While bonfires are a beloved summer tradition, they also pose...