How to cope when smoke affects air quality and health

Wildfires and Air quality

A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires are often caused by human activity or a natural phenomenon such as lighting, and they can happen at any time or anywhere. In 50% of wildfires recorded, it is not known how they started.

Air qualities refer to the degree to which the air is suitable or clean enough for humans or the environment. Good air quality means the air is free of harmful substance.

How does wildfire smoke affect air quality?

Wildfire smoke contributes greatly to poor air quality. Just like fossil fuel pollution from burning coal, oil, and gas, wildfires create hazardous gases and tiny particles of varying sizes known as particulate matters, or PM10, PM2.5 that are harmful to breathe. Wildfires smoke also contains other toxins that come from burning and chemical storage.

The smoke can travel to distant regions, carried by weather patterns and jet streams.

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How does wildfire affect our health?

The small particles in wildfires smoke are the most worrisome to our health. Do you know that when we breathe them in, these particles can travel deep into the lungs and sometimes into the bloodstream? The health effects of wildfire smoke include eye irritation, coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. The smoke may also increase risk for respiratory infections like COVID-19. Other possible serious health issues effects include heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes.

Who needs to be especially careful?

Those most at risk from wildfire smoke include children, older adults, outdoor workers, and anyone who is pregnant or who has heart or lung conditions. If you have a chronic health condition, talk to your doctor about how the smoke might affect you. Find out what symptoms should prompt medical attention or adjustment of your medications. This is especially important if you have lung problems or heart problems.

What can you do to prepare for wildfire emergencies?

There was a recent smoke haze on some part of North east America and Canada that raise some medical concerns. If you live in area threatened by wildfires, or where heat and dry conditions make them more likely to occur, then you can do the following to prepare for any emergencies;

·      Create an evacuation plan for your family before a wildfire occurs.

·    Make sure that have several days on hand of medications, water, and food that doesn’t need to be cooked. This will help if you need to leave suddenly due to wildfire or another natural disaster.

·  Regularly check this fire and smoke map, which shows current wildfire conditions and has links to state advisories.

·    Follow alerts from local officials if you are in the region of an active fire.

What steps can you take to lower health risks during poor air quality days?

These six tips can help you stay healthy wildfire smoke advisories and at other times when air quality is poor;

·       Make a room clean: choose a room with fewer doors and windows. Run an air purifier that is the appropriate size for this room, especially if you are not using central AC to keep cool.

·   Stay aware of air quality: AirNow.gov shares real-time air quality risk category for your area accompanied by activity guidance. When recommended, stay indoors, close doors, windows, and any outdoor air intake vents.

·       Avoid creating indoor pollution: that means no smoking, no vacuuming, and no burning of products like candles or incense. Avoid frying foods or using gas stoves, especially if your stove is not well ventilated.

·   Consider buying an air purifier: this is also important even when there are no regional wildfires if you live in a building that is in poor condition. The EPA recommends avoiding air cleaners that generate ozone, which is also a pollutant.

·    Understand your HVACs system if you have one: the quality and cleanliness of your filters counts, so choose high-efficiency filters if possible, and replace these as needed. It’s also important to know if your system has outdoor air intake vents.

·     Minimize outdoor time and wear a mask outside: again, ensuring that you have several days of medications and food that doesn’t need to be cooked will help. If you must go outdoors, minimize time and level of activity. A well-fitted N95 or KN95 mask or P100 respirator can help keep you from breathing in small particles floating in smoky air.