The Hidden Neurological Toll of Wildfires: Our New Op-Ed in STAT

Wildfires are no longer rare or seasonal events, they are becoming a defining feature of our changing planet While the images we see often capture the flames, smoke, and immediate devastation, a quieter and more insidious story is unfolding inside our bodies: the toll wildfires take on our brains.

In a newly published op-ed in STAT, Banyan Commons co-founders Dr. Burcin Ikiz and Clayton Page Aldern explore what happens when wildfire smoke and stress intersect with the nervous system. They argue that the neurological consequences of wildfires can last months, years, or even decades, especially for children, whose developing brains are particularly vulnerable.

From toxic air pollution that seeps into the bloodstream to the chronic stress and trauma of displacement, wildfires can impair memory, cognition, and emotional health. The piece underscores that the cost of inaction is steep: without integrating brain health into wildfire preparedness, response, and recovery, we risk leaving entire communities with invisible but lasting scars.

This perspective is rooted in the mission of Banyan Commons: to ensure that brain health is recognized as central to climate resilience. By advancing research, shaping policy, and amplifying evidence, we are working to make sure that the hidden impacts of ecological crises are neither overlooked nor ignored.

We invite you to read the full op-ed here:

👉 The hidden neurological toll of wildfires (STAT First Opinion)