Wildfire ash is changing the ocean in ways scientists are only beginning to understand

September 23, 2026

This satellite image shows thick smoke plumes streaming from the December 2017 Southern California wildfires, including the massive Thomas Fire, blowing over the Pacific Ocean

ASU BIOS faculty member Nicholas Baetge is helping uncover what happens when wildfire ash reaches the ocean and what it could mean for marine ecosystems, ocean productivity and the global carbon cycle.


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