Wildfire Smoke

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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

·         Earthquakes(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/index.asp)

·         Extreme Heat(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/index.asp)

·         Floods(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/floods/index.asp)

·         Hurricanes(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/index.asp)

·         Landslides(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/landslides.asp)

·         Tornadoes(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/tornadoes/index.asp)

·         Tsunamis(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/tsunamis/index.asp)

·         Volcanoes(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/volcanoes/index.asp)

·         Wildfires(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/index.asp)

·         Winter Weather(http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/index.asp)

Press Release

 

Date: June 24, 2015

Media Contact: James Carey and Ramona Quinn                                                              Phone:  541-883-1122

 

According to the National Weather Service Klamath County will experience an unusually long period of hot weather, reaching into July. Our expected high temperatures Friday and Saturday may reach 92 TO 102.

                                                                                

High temperatures can affect your health

Residents are advised to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed.

 

Klamath County Public Health officials urge people across the county to take precautions as temperatures soar. Extremely high or unusually hot temperatures can affect your health. On average, 675 deaths from extreme heat events occur each year in the United States.

“High temperatures can seriously impact the health of the elderly, those who work or exercise outdoors, infants and children, the homeless or poor, and people with a chronic medical condition,” said [Ramona Quinn, Klamath County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Manager]. “Drinking plenty of fluids, limiting outdoor activity and staying cool can reduce a person’s risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.”

Take the necessary precautions to prevent serious health effects such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

•       Stay in air-conditioned buildings.

•       Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.

•       Limit outdoor activity, especially midday when it is the hottest part of the day, and avoid direct sunlight.

•       Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.

•       Take cool showers or baths to lower your body temperature.

•       Drink more than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

•       Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.

•       Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.

•       Make sure your family, friends and neighbors are drinking enough water.

•       Check on at-risk friends, family and neighbors at least twice a day.

 

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.
•  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

JUST A REMINDER: Don’t leave your pet alone in the car on a warm day

• Despite the warnings, every year, pets die after their owners leave them in a parked car that overheats. Within just a few minutes, a car can get extremely shot, stifling, and deadly. Dr. Ernie Ward did an experiment on a warm summer’s day in which he sat in a parked car with the windows cracked. He wanted to see just how hot it would get. Within 30 minutes it was 117 degrees inside the car. “Never, ever leave your dog in a parked car on a warm day,” he pleads at the end of the video he made to document his experience. That goes for any pet, by the way!

This information provided by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For more information on heat exhaustion and heat stroke, visit Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division’s extreme heat website:

http://public.health.oregon.gov/Preparedness/Prepare/Pages/PrepareForExtremeHeat.aspx

For more information on hot weather and your pets go to the Petfinder’s website:

https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-care/hot-weather-tips/

Forest Fires and Respiratory Health Fact Sheet

Wildfires are an ongoing concern where there is dry, hot weather. During a wildfire, people throughout the surrounding area may suffer the effects of forest fire smoke. If you have respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis or a chronic heart disease, we urge you to monitor your breathing and exposure to airborne matter. If problems develop call your physician immediately.

General Recommendations

·         Stay indoors: People living in close proximity to the fire-stricken areas should remain indoors and avoid inhalation of smoke, ashes and particulate matter in the area.

·         Don't count on a dust mask: Ordinary dust masks, designed to filter out large particles, will not help as they still allow the more dangerous smaller particles to pass through. Special, more expensive dust masks with true HEPA filters will filter out the damaging fine particles, but are difficult for people with lung disease to use. Consult with your physician before using a mask, especially if you have a lung disease.

·         Don't exercise outside: If you live close to or in the surrounding area, it's recommended that you refrain from exercising outdoors, especially if you smell smoke or notice eye or throat irritation.

·         Take precautions for kids: Extra precaution should be taken for children, who are more susceptible to smoke because their respiratory systems are still developing and they breathe in more air (and consequently more pollution) per pound of body mass than adults.

·         Roll up your car windows: When driving your car in smoky areas, keep your windows and vents closed. Air conditioning should only be operated in the "recirculate" setting.

·         Put air conditioners on recirculate: Stay inside as much as possible, with doors, windows and fireplace dampers shut and preferably with clean air circulating through air conditioners and air cleaners. Use air conditioners on the recirculation setting so outside air will not be moved into the room.

If You Have Respiratory Problems or Chronic Heart Disease

·         Keep an eye on symptoms: Due to the higher levels of pollutants in some areas, there is a possibility of experiencing increased symptoms. If you are experiencing symptoms, please try to contact your physician. If you cannot, asthma patients can follow the asthma action plan developed with their physician. Use your peak flow meter if prescribed. Do not hesitate to take your medication, and avail yourself of the full spectrum of medications your doctor has prescribed to you.

·         Check in with your doctor: People with asthma should check with their physician regarding any changes in medication that may be needed to cope with the smoky conditions.

·         Ask about your oxygen use: People using oxygen should not adjust their levels of intake before consulting a physician. (Call your doctor BEFORE you take any action.)

·         Know when to seek medical attention: If pulmonary symptoms are not relieved by the usual medicines, seek medical attention. Symptoms to watch for: wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty taking a full breath, chest heaviness, light headedness, and dizziness. If you have any concerns or questions please contact your physician.

·         Watch for breathing issues after exposure: If you develop a persistent cough, or difficult or painful breathing, call your physician. The onset of symptoms can appear as late as 24 to 48 hours after exposure and that smoke can remain in areas for many days after the fires have ended.

Clean Up

Residents and volunteers should use caution during clean-up because the process involves ashes and other particulates.

·         Avoid dust and soot: People with lung or heart problems should avoid clean-up activities and areas where dust or soot are present.

·         Reduce airborne particulates: Thoroughly wet dusty and soot area prior to clean-up. This will help to reduce the amount of particulates becoming airborne.

·         Cover your face: Wear an appropriate dust mask during clean-up.

·         Do not disturb: If exposure to asbestos or other hazardous materials are suspected, do not disturb the area. Dust masks do not protect against asbestos.

External Resources

·         Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Wildfires

·         Environmental Protection Agency: How Smoke from Fires Can Affect Your Health

For more information on respiratory health please contact our Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA.

Travelers' Health Friday May 1st

As of Monday April 20, 2015, we have stopped issuing the regular Air Quality and Woodstove use Advisory.  We will continue to issue advisories for our schools, agricultural community and residents with respiratory problems when necessary. The Air Quality Advisory will continue through the summer on the following web page www.klamathair.org and by phone message at 541-882-BURN (2876)

The use of non-certified woodstoves and fireplaces as well as certified wood stoves and pellet stoves are allowed countywide until October 15, 2015. Outdoor burning is prohibited inside the Air Quality Zone.

Outdoor or open burning is allowed outside the Air Quality Zone provided the requirements of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Department of Forestry and the local fire district are met.

Travelers' Health Friday May 1st

Don’t forget to check the Air Quality Index when you’re on vacation or travel in the U.S. Get the daily AQI forecast for the city you’re visiting on the AirNow website, by signing up for free EnviroFlash email notifications, or by downloading the AirNow app for iPhone and Android – all available at www.airnow.gov. Find out about the overall air quality in an area before you visit.  AirCompare provides local air quality information to help you make informed, health-protective decisions about moving or vacationing. This easy-to-use tool can tell you what time of year an area has the best air quality, and whether the air quality has improved . AirCompare allows you to compare air quality between counties, based on specific health concerns or activity level. You can also use AirCompare to get the monthly average of unhealthy air quality days for up to 10 counties within one state or multiple states. Also check out the air quality in National Parks.

 

Source: http://www.airnow.gov/

Get Outside…with the Air Quality Index! Thursday April 30th

As of Monday April 20, 2015, we have stopped issuing the regular Air Quality and Woodstove use Advisory.  We will continue to issue advisories for our schools, agricultural community and residents with respiratory problems when necessary. The Air Quality Advisory will continue through the summer on the following web page www.klamathair.org and by phone message at 541-882-BURN (2876)

The use of non-certified woodstoves and fireplaces as well as certified wood stoves and pellet stoves are allowed countywide until October 15, 2015. Outdoor burning is prohibited inside the Air Quality Zone.

Outdoor or open burning is allowed outside the Air Quality Zone provided the requirements of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Department of Forestry and the local fire district are met.

Get Outside…with the Air Quality Index! Thursday April 30th

Let’s say that air quality where you live is forecast to be orange or red tomorrow. If you’re a runner – even if you’re healthy – the air quality can be harmful to you.  Reduce the amount of particulate matter you breathe in a few ways:  Plan your run for the morning, when particulate matter (PM 2.5) levels generally are lower; shorten your run, walk instead, or run on a treadmill indoors, where particulate matter PM 2.5 levels are lower. AQI recommendations apply to other outdoor activities, too – including activities like working in the garden! So on a poor air quality day, think about doing less-strenuous chores, like light raking or pruning instead of heavy shoveling or planting. Also, take more frequent breaks – resting reduces your exposure. Find your AQI forecast: On  www.klamathair.org Download the free AirNow app for iPhone or Android. Sign up for AirNow EnviroFlash, a free service that sends air quality info to your e-mail or mobile phone e-mail address. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides additional Air Quality Forecast Guidance. Use the Activity Guidelines to promote both an active lifestyle and air quality health for children and teenagers.

 

Source: http://www.airnow.gov/