Wildfires have ravaged over 46,000 acres in Montana, with concerns rising about prolonged exposure to smoke. High temperatures and drought have fueled more than 70 wildfires across the state, with the largest fires including Horse Gulch, Miller Peak, and Deadman (which includes four separate fires) — account for the majority of acres burned.

Anthony Wexler, director of the Air Quality Research Center at the University of California, Davis, said that children exposed to air pollution, such as wildfire smoke, during lung development are likely to experience lung growth defects and reduced lung capacity in adulthood compared to those without such exposure.