Record wildfires in Southern Europe this year have contributed to pollution across the continent.

A report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Friday stated that wildfires, which have likely increased in frequency due to climate change, significantly contributed to air pollution last year.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says ambient air pollution causes 4.5 million premature deaths annually. The WMO’s 2024 report highlighted pollution hotspots in areas that experienced severe fires such as the Amazon Basin, Canada, Siberia, and Central Africa.

As global warming, mainly caused by fossil fuel emissions, alters weather patterns, wildfires have become more frequent and widespread worldwide, increasing particulate matter in the air also produced by burning coal, oil, gas, wood, as well as transportation and agriculture.

The WMO said in a statement: “Wildfires are a major contributor to particulate pollution, and the problem is expected to worsen with rising temperatures, posing increasing risks to infrastructure, ecosystems, and human health.”

Although the report covers 2024, it also noted that record wildfires in Southern Europe this year contributed to pollution across the continent.