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Forest fire in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (picture from 12 June)

Photo: Jens Büttner / dpa

According to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), the main health hazard of forest fire smoke is caused by exposure to particulate matter. Tiny particles (PM 2.5) in particular are harmful to health because they can penetrate very deep into the lungs and cause damage there, the Federal Environment Agency (Uba) said at the request of dpa. "These mainly affect the lungs, but also the cardiovascular system." Very fine particles could also pass into the blood and thus in principle reach all organs.

Overall, particulate matter leads to increased mortality, it continues. The particles triggered inflammation and stress in the cells of the human body. "If this persists over a longer period of time, it can lead to illness." A short-term high level of stress, i.e. lasting hours or days, can lead, among other things, to high blood pressure and hospital and emergency admissions, usually due to cardiovascular diseases.

Other pollutants can also be produced

Depending on the type of fire, many other pollutants such as methane and nitrogen dioxide can be produced and spread as a result of forest fires. The pollution depends, for example, on whether the environment is polluted or not and whether, for example, houses, warehouses, machines, cars or ammunition are burning in addition to forests. Dioxins and heavy metals such as mercury and lead could also be contained in the smoke, attached to fine dust particles. According to the UBA, high air pollution from forest fires can sometimes be measured at a greater distance from the source of the fire.

"Various studies suggest links between respiratory tract irritation, reduced lung function, worsening of pre-existing diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD) or increased heart attacks in forest fire areas," the UBA writes. In addition, there are indications that forest fires that occur in the later months of pregnancy could lead to lower birth weight and premature birth in newborns.

According to Uba, acute health effects depend on how long the exposure lasts and how high it is. For example, acute smoke inhalation is rather rare because particles and gases spread rather quickly in the atmosphere during such fires. If hot air is inhaled, it can lead to burns, especially of the upper respiratory tract. Various inhaled pollutants could lead to local inflammatory reactions with tissue swelling, so that breathing and lung function could be significantly restricted. A common cause of death is the inhalation of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide. The farther away you are from the burning area, the less likely you are to have acute health effects.

ani/dpa