HWN Suggests

What’s in wildfire smoke? A toxicologist explains the health risks and which masks can help

Smoke from wildfires contains thousands of individual compounds, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. The most prevalent pollutant by mass is particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, roughly 50 times smaller than a grain of sand. Its prevalence is one reason health authorities issue air quality warnings using PM 2.5 as the metric.

read full article

Featured

 Wildfires Can Harm Your Health, Even if You’re Far Away, Experts Say

Wildfire smoke can cause adverse health effects 50 to 100 miles from the flames, in communities that cannot see or even smell the smoke. Dr. Nadeau urged people to keep a careful watch for coughing, dizziness, or chest pain, even five days after exposure to air pollution levels above 80 AQI. Young children, particularly those age 4 and under, are at particular risk, according to some studies, since their lungs are still developing. Prolonged exposure to smoke can increase a healthy child’s risk of developing chronic asthma, and can increase an asthmatic child’s risk of an attack.

Articles of Interest

How Real Is Smoke Brain?

Researchers are only just starting to ask how wildfire smoke affects cognition.

How to make your indoor air better when it’s smoky outside

Air conditioning, purifiers, and even box fans can help.

How wildfire smoke might threaten the air we breathe

How wildfire smoke might threaten the air we breathe.

How worried should you be about wildfire smoke exposure?

Experts advise caution as definitive answers remain elusive.

Microbes Are Aerosolized and Moved Around by Wildfire Smoke

Before 2018, no one knew that wildfire smoke contained living organisms. The discovery has implications on the ecosystems where the microbes eventually land and the humans exposed to smoke.

N95 Masks Helped Protect Against the Coronavirus. They Also Work Against Wildfire Smoke

Use N95, or better, masks and make sure they cover your nose and mouth.

Smoky air puts everyone at risk — but it’s worse for some

From burning eyes to asthma attacks: Who’s at highest risk from air pollution? And when should you seek care?

The Best Air Purifiers for Wildfire Season

The time to buy an air purifier is now. An expert explains what to look for when picking one.

The Real Risk of Wildfire Smoke to Kids

Scientists are still figuring out the health effects of this new normal. Here’s how to think about them in the meantime.

What to Do When the Sun Turns Red

Air filters, masks, calming tea—and no major life decisions.

What’s in wildfire smoke, and why is it so bad for your lungs?

If I dare to give the coronavirus credit for anything, I would say it has made people more conscious of the air they breathe.

Wildfire Masking Is Just Different

The not-COVID reason to mask is here.

Wildfire smoke can harm human health, even when the fire is hundreds of miles away – a toxicologist explains why

When we talk about air quality, we often talk about PM2.5. That’s particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller – small enough that it can travel deep into the lungs. Exposure to PM2.5 from smoke or other air pollution, such as vehicle emissions, can exacerbate health conditions like asthma and reduce lung function in ways that can worsen existing respiratory problems and even heart disease.

Resources

10 tips for coping with wildfire smoke, from a public health expert

Coping with intense and prolonged wildfire smoke is difficult, both physically and mentally. I have been studying how this unpredictable and extreme type of air pollution affects the respiratory and cardiovascular health of exposed populations for many years. Here are 10 tips to protect yourself and your family from the risks of wildfire smoke.

CDC

Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles from burning vegetation, building materials, and other materials. Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick.