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Several California cities were covered in thick smoke as wildfires blazed across the Western U.S.
The unprecedented amount of smoke caused an increase in hospitalizations for respiratory emergencies and concerns about people's long-term health.
A new study conducted by researchers with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego found that the small particles released in wildfire smoke are up to 10 times more harmful to humans than particles released from other sources like car exhaust.
"[Air pollution] has been decreasing in some regions of the U.S.," Rosana Aguilera, a postdoctoral scholar and one of the study's co-authors told KPBS. "This is not the case in wildfire-prone areas."
Aguilera and another co-author Tom Corringham looked at hospital admission data over 14 years in Southern California and found that pollutants from wildfire smoke caused up to a 10% increase in hospital admissions.
Their research focused on microscopic particles called PM2.5, which are capable of traveling long distances.
So why do they pose a health risk to humans? According to researchers, they are able to pass through the nose and lungs, bypassing the body's defense mechanisms, and make their way into the bloodstream.
From there they can cause problems for the heart, lungs, and other vital organs which increases the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and respiratory problems.
According to Corringham, their research shows we need to improve air monitoring systems and public health programs because wildfires will continue to happen.