Air Quality and Wildfire Smoke

East Wenatchee, WA – Due to the Air Quality Conditions from the current wildfire activity involving the Sourdough, Dome Peak and Blue Lake fires, Public Health officials are advising Chelan and Douglas county resident to stay indoors during periods of unhealthy air quality.

Washington Department of Ecology has issued and Air Quality Alert for all of Chelan County through 9 a.m. Friday, August 18 due to expected wildfire smoke from local and Canadian fires. At this time, the forecasts for moderate to unhealthy air quality are specific to the areas in western and northern Chelan County.

CDHD urges residents to be aware of current air quality conditions in order to take the necessary steps to avoid negative health impacts. Smoke from wildfires can cause health problems even if you are healthy. Symptoms related to unhealthy air quality may include:

• Water or dry eyes

• Coughing/Wheezing or throat/sinus irritation

• Shortness of breath

• Headaches

• Irregular heartbeat and chest pain

If you are experiencing serious symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

The best way to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is to stay indoors and by keeping your indoor air space clean by improving filtration and creating a clean air room in your home.

To find the latest wildfire and local air quality information visit the Washington Smoke Blog.

For more public health updates, visit www.cdhd.wa.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.