Wildfires and heatwaves are undermining global progress on air quality, UN warns

Wildfires and heatwaves are increasingly threatening worldwide efforts to clean up the air we breathe, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Monday. The UN agency warned that more intense fires are exposing more people to toxic fine particle pollution, known as PM2.5. These microscopic particles can enter the lungs and bloodstream, causing serious health problems. This danger is rising even in Europe and North America, where stricter regulations have already cut pollution from factories and vehicles. The WMO’s warning highlights that climate-driven fires now offset some of those hard-won gains.