Wildfire Smoke
Wildfire smoke
can harm you in multiple ways. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your
respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. This fact sheet
tells you how you can protect your health and be safe if you are exposed to
wildfire smoke.
What is
Wildfire Smoke and Can it Make Me Sick?
Wildfire smoke
is a mix of gases and fine particles from burning vegetation, building
materials, and other materials. Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick. Even
someone who is healthy can get sick if there is enough smoke in the air.
Breathing in smoke can have immediate health effects, including:
·
Coughing
·
Trouble breathing normally
·
Stinging eyes
·
A scratchy throat
·
Runny nose
·
Irritated sinuses
·
Wheezing and shortness of breath
·
Chest pain
·
Headaches
·
An asthma attack
·
Tiredness
·
Fast heartbeat
Older adults,
pregnant women, children, and people with preexisting respiratory and heart
conditions may be more likely to get sick if they breathe in wildfire smoke.
Wildfire Smoke
Can Affect High Risk Groups
Seven Tips for Protecting
Yourself from Breathing Wildfire Smoke
If possible,
limit your exposure to smoke. Here are seven tips to help you protect your
health:
1. Pay attention to local air
quality reports. When a wildfire occurs in your area, watch for news or health
warnings about smoke. Pay attention to public health messages and take extra
safety measures such as avoiding spending time outdoors.
2. Pay attention to visibility
guides if they are available. Although not every community
measures the amount of particles in the air, some communities in the western
United States have guidelines to help people estimate air quality based on how
far they can see.
3. If you are told to stay indoors,
stay indoors and keep your indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows
and doors closed unless it is very 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. Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have an
air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed.
4. Do not add to indoor pollution. When smoke
levels are high, do not use anything that burns, such as candles and
fireplaces. Do not vacuum, because vacuuming stirs up particles already inside
your home. Do not smoke tobacco or other products, because smoking puts even
more pollution into the air.
5. 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.
6. Do not rely on dust masks for
protection. Paper "comfort" or "dust" masks commonly
found at hardware stores trap large particles, such as sawdust. These masks
will not protect your lungs from smoke. An “N95” mask, properly worn, will offer
some protection. If you decide to keep a mask on hand, see the Respirator Fact Sheet provided by
CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
7. Avoid smoke exposure during
outdoor recreation. Wildfires and prescribed burns—fires that are set on purpose
to manage land—can create smoky conditions. Before you travel to a park or
forest, check to see if any wildfires are happening or if any prescribed burns
are planned.
Disasters &
Severe Weather
