Scientists gather smoke samples during a prescribed burn at the Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest. (Credit: J. Juchtzer) (CN) — After a year of near-record wildfires that burned more than 9.5 million acres across the U.S. and turned California’s skies an apocalyptic orange in September, researchers are drawing attention to a little-known but potentially concerning component of wildfire smoke: infectious bacteria and fungi. It’s already well known that the particulate matter and pollutants in wildfire smoke can cause a variety of health problems, from coughing to difficulty breathing to more serious issues like increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.