Your Health and Wildfire Smoke

Who is more sensitive to wildfire smoke?

Being sensitive to wildfire smoke means that you are at greater risk of experiencing a health effect if you breathe it, and that the effect may be more severe.

• Children
• Adults 65 and older
• Pregnant people
• People with heart disease, such as angina, heart failure, or abnormal heart rhythms
• People with lung conditions, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Also, exercising or working outdoors increases the chance for harm, even if you are in good health. This is because the faster and deeper you breathe, as you would with exercise or physical labor, you increase the amount of wildfire smoke you take into your body. Likewise, the length of time you are outside increases the amount of smoke you are exposed to.

The health effects of wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke can harm you in multiple ways. The health effects from breathing in wildfire smoke can range from stinging eyes, wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Serious health effects can include triggering of asthma attacks and heart failure that can lead to premature death.

Learn more about who is sensitive to smoke and why at the EPA’s webpage, “Who is at greater risk to the effects of wildfire smoke?”

Guidance for air quality index: learn how to reduce your risk

The Air Quality Index (AQI) can help you to make decisions about how to protect your health at different levels of air pollution.

Know your risk:

• Check airnow.gov to know your local air quality.
• Sign up for email or text air quality alerts through the EnviroFlash system.
• If you have asthma or another lung disease or cardiovascular disease, follow your doctor’s advice about medicines and about your respiratory management plan. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen when the AQI is Orange, or “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”, or above.

Stay indoors – this is the most protective option when air is unhealthy for you:

• Close windows and keep outside doors shut.
• Run air conditioning.
  • If your air conditioner has a fresh air option, close the intake. Use an air filter in your HVAC system (rated MERV 13 or better).
  • It is okay to use window air conditioning units. They should have:
    • tight seals between the unit and the window, and,
    • a recirculation mode that prevents pulling in outside air.
    • Learn more about adjusting your air conditioner at EPA's Indoor Air Quality webpage.
• Use an air filter (rated MERV 13 or better) to capture fine particles from smoke.
• If you do not have air conditioning or an air filter consider setting up a "clean room" where levels of smoke and other particles are kept as low as possible.
  • You can create a temporary air purifier with a 2012 or newer box fan and attaching a MERV-13 or higher air filter to it. Information is available at EPA's page on Do-it-Yourself Air Cleaners.
• Avoid activities that create pollution such as frying foods, sweeping, burning candles, vacuuming and smoking tobacco or other products.
• Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed. Call or text 211 or contact your local health department to find out if there is a shelter or cooling center nearby. Or consider spending time in an air-conditioned public place such as a library, mall, movie theater, etc.

If you must be outside:

• Use N95 style masks, especially when the air quality index is red (“unhealthy”) or greater.
  • Surgical and cloth masks are not recommended as they are not designed to prevent breathing in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke.
• Choose less strenuous activities (like walking instead of running) so you don’t breathe as hard.
• Shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.
• If you can, reschedule an activity to be outdoors when air quality is better.

For those with heart and lung conditions, including asthma

People with asthma and other heart and lung conditions can prepare to protect themselves by keeping N95 masks on hand and having at least one room in the house that has an air filter. This page on Asthma Action Plans can also help to prepare. Visit the MDHHS Asthma Interventions page for more information. 

For outdoor workers

See the OSHA National News Release for Employers for more information on outdoor work: www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/06092023

Guidance for air quality index categories

The Air Quality Index, or AQI is a color-coded way to see the levels of some types of air pollution, such as particulate matter (PM) and ozone. The higher the AQI, the worse the air quality is and the more cause for concern. The tables below are based on guidance from EPA and are related to air quality for particulate matter.

Air quality guide for particle pollution -- health considerations for everyone including sensitive populations:

Air Quality Index	Recommended Actions to Protect Health
Green Good (0-50)	Everyone can enjoy being outside.
Yellow Moderate (51-100)	Everyone can enjoy being outside. For those unusually sensitive to fine particles from wildfire smoke consider making outdoor activities shorter and less intense.
Orange Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150)	Everyone can enjoy being outside. People living with lung and heart disease, older adults aged 65+, pregnant people, and children should make activities shorter and less intense.
Red Unhealthy (151-200)	Everyone should reduce long or intense activities outside. People living with lung and heart disease, older adults aged 65+, pregnant people, and children are recommended to stay indoors and keep indoor air clean with MERV-13 or better air filtration to prevent breathing harmful particles of wildfire smoke. If you are unable to stay inside or you must go outside, consider using a protective N95 mask, especially children and pregnant people. Surgical and cloth masks will not stop you from breathing in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke. If you are unable to stay inside your own house, you can seek a temporary shelter location that has clean indoor air.
Purple Very Unhealthy (201-300)	Everyone is recommended to avoid long or intense outdoor activities and reschedule or move all outdoor activities indoors if possible. People living with lung and heart disease, older adults, pregnant people, and children are recommended to stay indoors, keep activity levels low, and keep indoor air clean with MERV-13 or better air filtration to prevent breathing harmful particles of wildfire smoke. If you must go outside, everyone is recommended to use a protective N95 mask. Surgical and cloth masks will not stop you from breathing in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke. If you are unable to stay inside your own house, you are recommended to seek a temporary shelter location that has clean indoor air.
Maroon Hazardous (300+)	Everyone is recommended to stay indoors, keep activity levels low, and keep indoor air clean with MERV-13 or better air filtration to prevent breathing harmful particles of wildfire smoke. If you must go outside, everyone is recommended to use a protective N95 mask. Surgical and cloth masks will not stop you from breathing in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke. If you are unable to stay inside your own house, you are recommended to seek a temporary shelter location that has clean indoor air.

 

Air quality guide for particle pollution -- schools, daycares, and other outdoor activities:

Air Quality Index	Guidance for Schools, Daycares, Outdoor Activities
Green Good (0-50)	Everyone can enjoy being outside.
Yellow Moderate (51-100)	Maintain normal school operations. For unusually sensitive students to fine particles from wildfire smoke, monitor for symptoms during outdoor recess, physical education, sports practices, games and consider limiting prolonged outdoor activities for them.
Orange Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150)	Outdoor activities: Limit time spent outside to 30 minutes or less. Modify activities to reduce exertion and amount of inhaled smoke. Reduce Indoor Air Pollution: Close windows and minimize opening of outside doors. Close outside air intakes unless there are MERV 13 filters.
Red Unhealthy (151-200)	Outdoor activities: Move outdoor activities inside. N95 Style Masks: Children and pregnant people could use mask while outdoors. Reduce Indoor Air Pollution: Close windows and minimize opening of outside doors. Close outside air intakes unless there are MERV 13 filters. Create clean air rooms where children and staff with symptoms can stay and be further evaluated if needed.
Purple Very Unhealthy (201-300)	Outdoor Activities: Cancel all outdoor physical activities or move them inside while keeping exertion minimal. School Closings: Consider closing some schools if it is hot and the buildings don't have air conditioning making it unsafe to stay inside with windows closed. N95 Style Masks: Recommend for all people if they must be outside. Reduce Indoor Air Pollution: Close windows and minimize opening of outside doors. Close outside air intakes unless there are MERV 13 filters. Create clean air rooms where children and staff with symptoms can stay and be further evaluated if needed.
Maroon Hazardous (300+)	Outdoor Activities: Cancel all outdoor physical activities or move them inside while keeping exertion minimal. School Closings: Consider closing some schools if it is hot and the buildings don't have air conditioning making it unsafe to stay inside with windows closed. N95 Style Masks: Recommend for all people if they must be outside. Reduce Indoor Air Pollution: Close windows and minimize opening of outside doors. Close outside air intakes unless there are MERV 13 filters. Create clean air rooms where children and staff with symptoms can stay and be further evaluated if needed.

 

Guidance for health care providers:

How to sign up for alerts

You can sign up for alerts through the EnviroFlash system. This subscriber system allows you to choose the area you would like to get alerts for. The system will send the alert directly to your email or send you a text message.

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