Stanford researchers study toxic metals in wildfire smoke affecting Bay Area

Stanford researchers are examining how wildfires transform naturally occurring metals in soil into toxic airborne particles that may pose health risks when inhaled, Palo Alto Online reported. These particles have been linked by researchers to cancer and other health problems.

The research began after the 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, where soil scientist Scott Fendorf and his colleagues studied the process by which wildfires release these metals into the air. Their work focuses on understanding how these toxic metals travel in smoke plumes over large areas.

Currently, there is no real-time monitoring system to measure the metal content in wildfire smoke, which complicates efforts to warn people who might be exposed to these hazardous particles.

Fendorf’s lab is working on forecasting where these toxic metals in smoke might spread, aiming to provide early warnings to communities in harm’s way.