A case report out this month starkly illustrates the damage forest fires can do to our lungs. Doctors in China treated a man who breathed in thick smoke from a forest fire. After the man’s respiratory function began to decline, doctors examined his airways and discovered they were filled with rubbery, blackened mucus caused by the smoke inhalation. Thankfully, they successfully removed the gunk, and the man eventually recovered from his injuries. Bronchial casts According to the report, the man went to an emergency room because he had difficulty breathing. For several hours prior to the visit, he had been exposed to thick smoke from a forest fire. He managed to avoid getting burned, but his oxygen levels had fallen dangerously low. As his condition worsened, doctors intubated him and placed him on mechanical ventilation. The ventilation wasn’t working as well as expected, however, prompting doctors to closely examine his lungs and airways with a flexible tube and camera (a bronchoscopy).…