Smoke particles from wildfires can erode ozone layer: MIT study

The smoke from recent wildfires is threatening to slow and even reverse the recovery of Earth's ozone layer, according to a study. The researchers identified a new chemical reaction by which smoke particles from the Australian wildfires made ozone depletion worse. By triggering this reaction, the fires likely contributed to a 3-5% depletion of total ozone at mid-latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere, in regions overlying Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Africa and South America. By late 2020, smoke particles from the Australian wildfires widened the Antarctic ozone hole by 2.5 million square kilometers -- 10% of its area compared to the previous year, the researchers said.