Schools increasingly affected by poor air quality as wildfire smoke becomes more common

Schools increasingly affected by poor air quality as wildfire smoke becomes more common

American children are increasingly exposed to air pollution as wildfire smoke becomes more common, and some schools and child care centers struggle to keep indoor breathing conditions clean, a new national study shows.

US schools increasingly exposed to wildfire smoke

Children in the United States are being exposed to more days of smoky air at schools and childcare centres, while some buildings fail to adequately protect them from outdoor pollution, according to new research. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, analysed air quality data across the US between 2006 and 2023. It found a substantial increase in the number of days children spent in educational settings affected by wildfire …