Ash Weight – The Poetry of Science todayheadline

What stays
is not the flame –
but what it leaves
when breath fails
to filter
what drifts.
A cloud thickens
in the small chambers
behind the eyes,
the chest tight
with more than smoke.
There is no word
for the moment
a child begins
to turn inward,
or for the light
that no longer
feels soft.
It is not seen
but counted
in arrivals –
those who step
through hospital doors
already holding
what the air
never sought
to give.

This poem was inspired is inspired by recent research, which has found a link between wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits.

Wildfire seasons are becoming more intense and frequent, and the health impacts of breathing in wildfire smoke are now better recognised – especially the risks to lungs and heart. However, what is less understood is how this polluted air might affect people’s mental health. Fine particles found in wildfire smoke (known as PM2.5) can travel deep into the lungs and bloodstream, and there is growing concern they may also have neurological and psychological effects. This is particularly worrying for communities who are already vulnerable – whether due to age, existing health conditions, or social and economic pressures – and who often bear the brunt of environmental crises.

This research looked at data from over 86,000 emergency department visits in California during the record-breaking 2020 wildfire season. It found a clear link between exposure to wildfire-specific PM2.5 and a rise in mental health emergencies, particularly for anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders. These increases were most pronounced among children, women, and people from Black and Hispanic backgrounds. The findings highlight the need to better prepare mental health services for future wildfire events, particularly in areas likely to be affected by climate change. They also raise serious questions about the hidden mental toll of environmental pollution – and who it harms most.