Air pollution from wildfire smoke increases susceptibility to the coronavirus, leading to worsened health conditions for those near fires.

As states begin to hit their peak wildfire season, experts and officials are warning about another level of concern this year: air pollution that threatens to increase Covid-19 in states already struggling with an explosion in cases.

Above normal significant large fire potential is expected in California, Nevada and the Pacific Northwest as states enter their peak season, which begins in July and lasts through August, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The Southwestern region, including Arizona, is also expecting above average fire activity.

“What is important for people to know is because Covid-19 primarily affects the lungs, then people are going to be more likely to develop severe symptoms if they have certain types of respiratory diseases,” said Marcia Castro, chair of the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “And those respiratory diseases can be made much worse because of pollutants due to fires.”

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