Smoke and your health
The overall health effects of short-term exposure to wildfire smoke in healthy individuals are not clear. There is growing concern about the potential for long-term health impacts of smoke on healthy individuals who live in wildfire prone areas such as ours where we experience days to weeks of wildfire smoke annually. These long-term exposures may contribute to overall lifetime risk for heart disease, lung disease and cancer. Health risks from heat and wildfire smoke can be compounded if heat waves and smoke occur at the same time.
The short- or long-term health impacts of wildfire smoke maybe worse in those with pre-existing conditions or in smoke-sensitive populations. Populations known to be vulnerable to wildfire smoke based on current evidence are:
· Pregnant women and their fetuses
· Children and adolescents (18 years of age or younger)
· Older Adults (65 years of age and older)
· Populations with respiratory conditions (e.g., COPD, Asthma)
· Populations with cardiovascular disease
· Populations with lower socio-economic status
· Populations with chronic inflammatory disease (e.g., diabetes, obesity)
· Outdoor workers (e.g, construction, agriculture, etc.)
Not every summer will be a bad smoke season! But because we live in a region that can expect fire and smoke to occur regularly, with predictions of worsening, we can consider how to reduce our exposure to smoke whenever we can. Taking some simple steps can help ensure you and your family can continue to thrive and adapt to hotter, smokier summers without compromising your health.
Becoming smoke-ready!
It’s not just wildfire we need to be ready for. Preparing for possible summer hazards can include heat AND smoke as well. Simple steps to become smoke ready include knowing how to find air quality information, ensuring you can create clean indoor air, making a plan for vulnerable household members, considering ideas to stay mentally strong and engaged during a prolonged smoke event, and having N95 masks on hand.
What is the current air quality?
Checking the air quality during smoke season, just like checking the weather, can help us plan our day and activities to maximize time outdoors when air quality is good. The Washington Smoke Information blog provides detailed and highly local information for Washington communities affected by smoke from wildland fires. During smoke season, this website is regularly updated with current and forecasted air quality and wildfire information in Washington. The blog displays the same AirNow Fire and Smoke map as described below.
The Fire and Smoke map on EPA’s AirNow website is the best and most accurate way to find air quality information, especially during wildfire smoke season. In Washington State, the Department of Ecology is responsible for air quality monitoring. There are permanent air monitors located in Leavenworth, Wenatchee, Chelan; these display on the AirNow Fire and Smoke map as circles. Temporary monitors are sometimes placed in locations impacted by wildfire, and these will display as triangles. Finally, dozens of privately hosted low-cost purple air sensors (squares) supplement these monitors. Low-cost sensors are useful tools but can significantly overestimate smoke pollution at higher concentrations. AirNow applies a correction factor that helps reduce these inaccuracies before the data is displayed.
Wildfires are indicated on the map with a flame icon. If smoke from a wildfire is significantly impacting our region, a Special Smoke Outlook may be available and will display as a blue rectangle with a clickable exclamation point in the upper right corner. These Smoke Outlooks are offered daily and provide valuable detailed forecast information for communities that may be affected by wildfire smoke.
What Do the Numbers and Colors Mean?
The Air Quality Index provides a health-based categorization of air quality from Good (green) to Hazardous (maroon). The Washington Air Quality Advisory Guide for Particle Pollution can help you determine the meaning of these categories and what precautions to take.
Creating clean indoor air
Staying indoors during unhealthy wildfire smoke is the number one way to reduce your exposure. However, especially in older buildings, indoor levels of wildfire smoke can be almost as bad as outdoors. Some simple strategies to consider include:
- Close all windows and doors securely to keep smoke out. However, pay attention to indoor temperatures to avoid heat exhaustion or heat stroke. If it becomes uncomfortably warm, seek alternate shelter in a cooler space with clean air, or open the windows temporarily to cool your space down, even if its still smoky outside.
- If you have an HVAC system, use the highest-rated MERV filter your system can handle, ideally a MERV-13 or higher.
- If you don’t have forced air or air conditioning, consider choosing a room in your house that you can close off and set up an air cleaning system. But be careful it doesn’t get too hot inside!some text
- Use a portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter. This excellent guide from WA DOH can help you choose what air cleaner to purchase, and learn more about indoor air quality.
- Box-fan filters are easy to build, low-cost and effective.
- If you already have a system to clean your air, make sure to check and replace filters as needed well ahead of wildfire season.
Chelan Douglas Health District may have air cleaners available for households with smoke-vulnerable members who cannot afford to purchase one for themselves. Interested individuals can contact us at imt.lsc@cdhd.wa.gov
Additional strategies to improve indoor air
Make a plan for vulnerable household members
More than half our population falls into a smoke-vulnerable category who need to take special care to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke. Considering their needs and planning for keeping them out of smoke ahead of a smoke episode can reduce stress when it arrives.
You can register your family member who may require special assistance from emergency management during a wildfire smoke event. The Vulnerable Persons Registry promotes communication between vulnerable persons, the people who support them and law enforcement/first responders. The information provided gives responders access to critical information so that they can quickly respond and provide effective assistance.
What should be done to keep kids safe?
Children are more vulnerable to smoke because their lungs are still developing, they have higher respiratory rates, tend to spend more time outdoors, and breathe a higher volume of air for their body weight.
The Washington State Department of Health has provided recommendations for modifying activity levels or moving children indoors during unhealth levels of smoke. This includes recommendations on duration and location of recess, P.E., and athletic events and practices.
More great information on keeping kids safe in smoke
Consider ways to stay mentally strong
Living through days or weeks of wildfire smoke where daily routines and social connections are disrupted, the sky is a strange color, the light feels different, and the atmosphere suffocating can be difficult. If a wildfire is nearby, worry about its activity and potential evacuation can contribute to stress, anxiety, hypervigilance, trouble concentrating and difficulty sleeping.
What helps you cope with the stress of wildfire and wildfire smoke? Some ideas to consider:
- Consider someone who you might call if you need help, and someone you can check in on who might appreciate help during a long smoke episode.
- You can remind yourself that the smoke won’t last forever.
- Try to lower your expectations a bit, and find a bit more time for resting – smoke season can be hard!
- Engage in a favorite indoor activity such as listening to music, a craft project, a puzzle, or watching your new favorite TV series.
More ideas about coping with the stress of wildfire smoke
N-95 Respirator Masks
If you must go outside during poor air quality conditions, respirator masks, labeled N-95 or N-100, can provide some protection. Anyone with lung or heart disease or who is chronically ill should check with their health care provider before using any mask. Using respirator masks can make it harder to breathe, which may make existing medical conditions worse. Masks come in different sizes and styles, and the correct fit that provides a tight and complete seal is critical.
- Using Masks during Poor Air Quality
- Recommendations for mask use in children
- Find a mask distribution location in Chelan or Douglas County
What If I’m Driving Through An Area Affected By Smoke?
Individuals can reduce the amount of smoke in their vehicles by keeping the windows and vents closed, and, if available, operating the air conditioning in “re-circulate” mode. However, if your car doesn’t have air conditioning, be mindful that in hot weather a car’s interior can heat up very quickly to temperatures that far exceed those outdoors, and heat stress or heat exhaustion can result. Children and pets should never be left unattended in a vehicle with the windows closed.
The ventilation system of older cars typically removes a small portion of the particles coming in from outside, while newer models often have an air filter that removes most particles. If traveling through extremely smoky areas, an N95 mask will provide additional protection and make sure to reduce speed if visibility is impaired.
Additional Resources
Information about worker safety and wildfire smoke from WA Department of Labor and Industry
InciWeb – Incident Information system
Chelan County Emergency Management
