Good or Bad: The Impact of Thick Smoke on Animals and Plants

Animals:

• Respiratory Problems: Animals, like humans, suffer from respiratory issues due to smoke inhalation. Birds are particularly vulnerable as they easily absorb toxins from the smoke but struggle to clear the particulates due to their sensitive respiratory systems.
• Fatigue: The presence of smoke leads to increased fatigue among animals.
• Disorientation and Eye Irritation: Thick smoke can disorient animals and irritate their eyes, making it difficult for them to navigate and find food.
• Behavioral Changes: Animals may alter their behaviors, such as foraging, mating, and reproduction, in response to the smoke.
• Habitat Loss: Wildfires, which can burn through a forest at a speed of 10 kilometers (6 miles) an hour, greatly impact all animals by destroying their habitats. Species that return annually to the same breeding grounds and nesting sites are especially threatened.  

Plants:

• Stomatal Closure: Tiny pores on plant surfaces, called stomata, close in response to the dry atmosphere created by smoke. This reaction, intended to conserve water during perceived drought conditions, slows plant growth.
• Reduced Photosynthesis: “Even a simple 30-minute exposure to smoke can reduce photosynthesis by almost 50 percent,” says Raju Soolanayakanahally, a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon.