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4h ago

Wildfires Drove 2023’s Sharpest Pollution Surge in U.S. and Canada, AQLI Finds

The report links dirty air to shorter lives, estimating big longevity gains if particulate levels met health guidelines.

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A wildfire burns on Mount Underwood near Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on August 12, 2025

Overview

  • Canada recorded its worst PM2.5 since at least 1998, with more than half of residents exposed above the 8.8 µg/m³ national standard and a national average near 9.2 µg/m³.
  • U.S. particulate pollution rose about 20% from 2022 as smoke shifted hotspots into Midwest and other downwind states, displacing many California counties among the most polluted.
  • Global average PM2.5 increased from 23.7 to 24.1 µg/m³ in 2023, nearly five times the World Health Organization’s 5 µg/m³ guideline.
  • AQLI estimates life expectancy could rise by about 1.9 years worldwide if WHO limits were met; in India, the average loss is about 3.5 years and Delhi residents could gain roughly 8.2 years.
  • EPIC projects India’s NCAP goal of a 40% cut in 130 cities could add around two years to city dwellers’ lives, and some experts warn wildfire-specific harms may be understated by the index.