In Europe, Today’s Children Will Live Through More Fire Weather Than Their Grandparents

Each additional degree of global warming by the end of the century adds around 272 days of extreme fire weather to the life of a Portuguese child born in 2025. A child born in Greece can expect to see 473 additional days of exposure to extreme fire weather during their lifetime, while children in Spain and Italy will see 448 days. 

Exposure to wildfire smoke comes with a number of immediate health impacts, including stinging eyes, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Over time, long-term exposure can cause and exacerbate diseases in the lungs, and heart, and has been shown to lead to cognitive impairment and memory loss. Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is also associated with higher risk of death.

The study notes that rapid measures to reduce emissions could reduce exposure in all regions. If we limit warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century, “a lot of exposure could be avoided,” says Pietroiusti. “While younger people will be more exposed than older generations under all pathways, every fraction of a degree of warming counts, and every fraction of a degree of avoided warming can reduce the hazard that we’re exposing young people to during their lives.”