A NASA-supported study published June 4 found that wildfires have worsened ground-level ozone pollution across much of the contiguous United States over the last decade, erasing nearly four years of ozone-control gains.
How wildfires create ozone
Researchers reported in the journal Science that while smoke is often associated with visible ash and soot, wildfires also emit gases like carbon monoxide. This gas acts as a building block for ground-level ozone when it mixes with other pollutants in sunlight, driving smog increases hundreds or even thousands of miles from active flames.
Impact on Midwest air quality
In the Midwest, the study found that wildfire pollution specifically erased approximately 5.3 years of ozone-control progress since 2015. Jun Wang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Iowa and the study's corresponding author, noted that pollution from distant fires can move across regions to affect air quality in areas far from the flames.
Rising premature death rates
The health implications of this trend are significant. According to the NASA-supported research, premature deaths in the U.S. associated with long-term exposure to wildfire-related ozone increased by an estimated 318 deaths per year after 2013.
This post-2013 average represents a 46% increase compared to the previous decade.
New Salt Lake City appointment
In separate local developments, the Salt Lake City Council appointed Jennifer Napier-Pearce to fill a vacancy in District 4, which encompasses the downtown area. The appointment followed several rounds of voting and an immediate swearing-in ceremony on June 10, 2026.
This move follows a May 12 determination by the City Attorney and Recorder’s Office that Eva Lopez Chavez was ineligible to continue as a District 4 Council Member due to residency issues.
Lawsuit against federal immigration facility
Additionally, Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County filed a lawsuit on June 8, 2026, against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The legal action seeks to halt the conversion of a warehouse on the city's west side into a mega immigration detention facility, alleging the decision was made without following federal law.
