‘Rivers of Smoke’ Carry Air Pollution East as California Burns

The record-setting wildfires causing widespread destruction in California are fueling research on the danger of the air pollution they spew—and how far across the country the pollution could spread.

Satellites operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are capturing images of smoke plumes spreading across the West Coast, much of the Midwest, and in some instances, heading toward the East Coast.

Understanding the insidious effects this smoke has on air quality and public health is an opportunity for researchers, but also a challenge. They told Bloomberg Environment it is difficult to pinpoint the effects as the fires ...