Recent studies have highlighted the severity of wildfire smoke exposure by comparing it to cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, many of which are harmful and carcinogenic. Similarly, wildfire smoke can lead to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and other health problems. A 2020 study by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment found that breathing wildfire smoke at an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 150 for several days is equivalent to smoking seven cigarettes daily.