Wildfires driven by climate change contribute to as many as thousands of annual deaths and billions of dollars in economic costs from wildfire smoke in the United States, according to a new study.

The paper is consistent with past studies examining fine particulate deaths related to wildfires — one such study in 2024 suggested that 16,000 deaths occur every year in the U.S. due to wildfire smoke inhalation, though that study didn’t specify which fatalities happened specifically due to the climate crisis.

Smoke from wildfires intensified by climate change caused an estimated 15,000 deaths and $160 billion in damages in the U.S. over a 15-year span, according to new research.Dorany Pineda reports for The Associated Press.