SMOKE IN THE BASIN AND SURROUNDING AREAS
SEPTEMBER 08,2014
According to our monitors in Klamath Falls and
Chiloquin, the Air Quality today has been Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups and at
times Unhealthy for all groups. The smoke is coming into the Basin and the
surrounding communities from the July Complex fire, Happy Camp Complex fire,
and the 790 fire. We expect unhealthy air quality conditions to persist
throughout the week.
How to tell if smoke is affecting you
Smoke can cause-
·
Coughing
·
A
scratchy throat
·
Irritated
sinuses
·
Shortness
of breath
·
Chest
pain
·
Headaches
·
Stinging
eyes
·
A
runny nose
·
Asthma
exacerbations
If you have heart disease, lung disease, or pre-existing
respiratory conditions, such as respiratory allergies, asthma, and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you are at higher risk than healthy
people and exposure to smoke might make your symptoms worse. Symptoms include:
·
Inability
to breathe normally
·
Cough
with or without mucus
·
Chest
discomfort
·
Wheezing
and shortness of breath
When smoke levels are high enough, even
healthy people may experience some of these symptoms.
Older adults are more likely to be
affected by smoke, possibly because they are more likely to have heart or lung
diseases than younger people.
Children are more likely to be affected
by health threats from smoke because their airways are still developing and
because they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. Children
also are more likely to be active outdoors.
Protect yourself
Limit your exposure to smoke. Following are ways to
protect your health:
Pay attention to local air quality reports. Listen and watch for news or health warnings about
smoke. Check out http://www.klamathair.org/update/updateAdvisory.php
for today’s local Air Quality Advisory and http://www.deq.state.or.us/aqi/index.aspx
for the hourly Air Quality Index. Also pay attention to public health messages
about taking additional safety measures.
The following link contains some guidelines to help
people estimate AQI based on how far they can see. www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/wildfires/visibility.htm
If you are advised to stay indoors, keep
indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot
outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake
closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If
you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the
windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere.
Do not add to indoor pollution. When smoke levels are high, do not use
anything that burns, such as candles, fireplaces, or gas stoves. Do not vacuum,
because vacuuming stirs up particles already inside your home. Do not smoke,
because smoking puts even more pollution into the air.
Follow your doctor's advice about medicines and about your
respiratory management plan if you have asthma or another lung disease, Call
your doctor if your symptoms worsen.
