Throwing a log into the fireplace might seem cozy on a cold winter night, but new research shows it could be much more harmful than we realize.
Scientists at Northwestern University have discovered that burning wood in homes during winter is a major cause of air pollution in the United States—one that is often ignored.
Even though only about 2% of U.S. households use wood as their main source of heat, the study found that home wood burning causes over 20% of people’s exposure to fine particle pollution (called PM2.5) during the winter.
These tiny particles are dangerous because they can go deep into our lungs and even enter the bloodstream. They are linked to heart problems, lung diseases, and early death. The researchers estimate that this type of pollution leads to around 8,600 premature deaths in the U.S. each year.
Surprisingly, the people who suffer most from this pollution don’t live in rural areas, where wood burning is more common. Instead, urban and suburban areas are hit harder. And people of color face more harm—even though they burn less wood—because they are more exposed to the pollution and already face higher health risks due to historic inequalities.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, was led by Northwestern’s Kyan Shlipak and Daniel Horton. It suggests that switching to cleaner ways of heating homes could save thousands of lives and reduce winter air pollution across the country.
Researchers collected wood-burning data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Emissions Inventory, which includes details about how people heat their homes based on surveys and appliance data. Then they used a computer model that simulates how pollution spreads in the air, taking into account wind, weather, and geography.
To get a clear picture, they divided the U.S. into small 4-by-4 kilometer squares and tracked how much pollution came from wood burning. They ran the model twice—once with and once without wood-burning emissions. The difference between the two showed how much pollution was caused by wood burning alone.
What they found was alarming. In winter, about 22% of PM2.5 pollution came from burning wood in homes. In some areas, that number was even higher. Cities and nearby suburbs were the most affected. In places like Chicago, for example, smoke from suburban homes often travels into the city, affecting many people who don’t burn wood themselves.
The team also looked at who is most impacted. They used census data and health statistics and found that people of color, especially Black communities, suffer more from this pollution.
In Chicago, for instance, the health risk from wood burning was over 30% higher in Black neighborhoods than in other parts of the city. This is despite the fact that these communities burn less wood than others.
The researchers believe this pattern is due to pollution drifting into the city from suburban areas, where more wood burning occurs. Because people of color already face more health problems from environmental stress, the added pollution makes things worse.
The study only looked at outdoor air pollution, but the scientists say indoor exposure to wood smoke could also be a serious health concern, especially in homes where wood is burned regularly.
In conclusion, while lighting a fire may seem like a small, harmless act, it can have a big effect on air quality and public health. Cleaner heating alternatives could reduce pollution and save lives, especially in cities and vulnerable communities. Making this switch could be a key step toward cleaner, healthier air for everyone.
If you care about lung health, please read studies about marijuana’s effects on lung health, and why some non-smokers get lung disease and some heavy smokers do not.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
