University of B.C. Study Warns Wildfire Smoke Could Make COVID-19 Symptoms Worse

A wildfire burns on a logging road approximately 20 km southwest of Fort St. James, B.C., on Aug. 15, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER—A study by University of British Columbia researchers underscores the immediate, harmful health effects of wildfire smoke and says there are concerning implications during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study, published in the online journal Environmental Health Perspectives, explores a link between high levels of fine particulates in wildfire smoke and increased ambulance dispatches.