Pollution alert!
Smoke from fires can:
Clog the air with both carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
Exposure to CO can reduce the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Extremely high levels can cause death.
CO2 is a waste product generated when our bodies use up oxygen, but exposure to large amounts can cause a wide range of side effects, including permanent injury and death.
Deposit soot and chemicals such as lead, arsenic and mercury into streams, rivers and underground aquifers where drinking water is sourced
Prolonged exposure to chemicals like these can cause gastro-intestinal symptoms, diabetes, kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, cancer, among others.
* Lace the soil with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
PAHs have been identified as carcinogenic (cancer-causing), mutagenic (DNA-modifying), and teratogenic (development-disturbing). High prenatal exposure is associated with birth defects, lower IQ and childhood asthma.
(PHOTO: KARL MCLARTY)
