As forests burn, and their underlying, thick peat layer of partially decayed plant matter also burns, they emit highly visible pollution in the form of smoke, soot, and ash. But the fires also generate other harmful pollution. "Species emitted by the fires—pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds—might cause a significant increase in ozone levels, even far downwind from the fires." A unique combination of established methods, including remote-sensing data from satellite instruments, and data modeling was used to distinguish fire-generated carbon monoxide from other sources of the gas. The study will determine what wildfires contribute to pollution, so that the impacts of nature and of human activity on air quality can be measured accurately.

URL: http://nasadaacs.eos.nasa.gov/articles/2006/2006_wildfires.html