Smoke Ready
Smoke Ready Efforts
Overview
Smoke from wildland fires is a health concern for everyone. Those who are especially vulnerable include people with underlying conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes, young children, older adults, those who are pregnant and those with or recovering from COVID.
Smoke ready is when communities and individuals have the knowledge and ability to stay reasonably safe and healthy during smoke episodes. This page provides information on how to be smoke ready. It is intended for use by a wide audience including:
General public
land management, public health and environmental agencies
incident management teams and emergency responders
Local governments
Non-governmental agencies
For a simple overview of how to be smoke ready, check out the brochure at this link
Be Smoke Ready
Smoke from wildland fires can put public health at risk but there are steps that individuals and communities can take to be prepared. Smoke production from wildfires is typically greater than those from prescribed fires. This is because prescribed fires are planned events that are managed to reduce air quality impacts and are typically shorter in duration than wildfires that may take multiple days or weeks to contain.
This page provides information on the importance of being smoke ready, ways to reduce smoke exposure as well as links that provide resources to delve more into this issue.
FOR INDIVIDUALS
Plan Ahead
During wildfires, smoke can enter your home. Setting up a clean air room at home can help reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke while sheltering indoors. Everyone can benefit from spending time in a clean air room during a wildfire, but it may be most helpful for people who are at greater risk such as people with heart or lung disease, older adults, children, and those who are pregnant.
Consider how you’ll keep the air in your home clean, see Clean Air Room Options section below
Closing windows and doors to keep smoke from entering your home may result in excessive heat which can impact your health. Consider how you’ll keep your home cool if necessary. See Protect Yourself from Smoke and Extreme Heat fact sheet for more info.
You may want to leave the area for cleaner air. Visit the Fire and Smoke Map to find areas of cleaner air
Know your risk to smoke. Those who are especially vulnerable include people with underlying conditions such as heart or lung disease or diabetes, young children, older adults, those who are pregnant and those with or recovering from COVID. If you are vulnerable consult your healthcare provider and have a plan to manage your condition.
Keep several days’ worth of medicines you depend on in case it is too hazardous to go outside or drive.
Check with your state or local or tribal air quality agency to find out if they provide air quality alerts and how you can sign up to receive them.
When it's Smoky
There are many factors that influence a person’s sensitivity to smoke, including the severity and duration of smoke exposure and a person’s health. Symptoms of smoke exposure can include watery or dry eyes, persistent cough, phlegm, wheezing, scratchy throat, or irritated sinuses, headaches, shortness of breath, exacerbation of asthma or lung irritation, irregular heartbeat, chest pain or fatigue. Even in healthy people, exposures to fine particles can potentially lead to short term reductions in lung function and pulmonary inflammation.
No Cost Ways to Lower Smoke Exposure
Learn the colors of the AQI (air quality index) and what they mean for actions you can take to protect your health. See Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution.
Know your air quality. Smoke levels can change a lot during the day so watch for periods of cleaner air to run errands, exercise, or do outdoor chores. Look for opportunities to open windows and doors to let cleaner air into your home if smoke clears.
Go online to track fires and smoke here: https://fire.airnow.gov/
Have a smartphone? Download the Smoke Sense App
Learn the colors of the AQI (air quality index) and what they mean for actions you can take to protect your health. View AQI table
Limit outdoor activity. Stay inside with doors and windows closed when it’s smoky. Use towels to block air flow if smoke is coming in through gaps in window or door frames.
Don’t overheat! Open doors and windows if you must cool down. Watch for times when smoke may clear and open windows and doors to clear out smoke that has gotten inside.
Reduce indoor pollution you can control. Reduce or eliminate any type of smoking. Avoid lighting candles or incense. Unless your vacuum has HEPA filtration, postpone house cleaning that kicks up dust and small particles. Avoid using aerosol sprays. Do not fry or broil food.
Keep hydrated with water. This will help keep your nose and mouth moist and help make it easier to breathe.
Set air to recirculate on your HVAC or window air conditioner if you have one.
Reduce smoke in your vehicle if you’re out in your car by closing the windows and vents and running the air conditioner on recirculate.
If you must be outdoors, consider using an N95 respirator mask. Be aware that wearing a respirator can make it harder to breathe. If you have heart or lung problems, ask your doctor before using a respirator. See the Wildfire Smoke Factsheet for more information.
Low to Medium Cost Way to Lower Smoke Exposure
Upgrade your HVAC filters. If you have an HVAC system, upgrade the filters to a “MERV 13” or higher and run the system on recirculate. Filters will need to be changed more often when it’s smoky. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions or an HVAC system specialist.
Buy a HEPA portable air cleaner. For about $100-$300 you can purchase a HEPA portable air cleaner and use it to clean the air in a room in your home (often a bedroom). See more information here including some recommendations on specific cleaners to buy: https://www.montanawildfiresmoke.org/hepa-filters.html
Build a simple box fan filter. For about $40-$50 you can build an air filter by attaching a 20”x20” furnace filter to a 20” box fan (don’t run this unattended or at night). See instructions here: https://www.montanawildfiresmoke.org/diy-fan-filter.html
If you can’t keep the air in your home clean, consider spending time in a clean air shelter if available in your community. Another option is to leave the smoky area for a few hours or a few days. Check the www.airnow.gov page for conditions in your area to see if there's somewhere you can go to get a break from the smoke.
More information on creating a clean room here: Clean Air Room Options
FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS
Prepare Ahead
Smoky conditions from wildfires can last for days, weeks or months. Before this happens, community leaders can help reduce the health threats to their citizens by developing formal plans that address their unique circumstances. Useful resources geared towards community leaders that address wildfire and smoke include:
A collaborative approach between public information officers, public health professionals, emergency response organizations, air quality managers and others can assist communities in developing a smoke ready plan for smoke events. These efforts made in advance can include:
Assessing vulnerabilities such as language barriers, low-income households, outdoor workers, unhoused individuals, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, tourists.
Identifying local agencies that can help reach out and assist vulnerable populations.
Educate residents to understand the health risks of smoke and provide them information tools to empower them to make decisions based on reducing smoke exposure that work for their needs.
Consider establishing and identifying clean air shelters suitable for public use.
Consider deploying indoor particulate sensors in vulnerable facilities such as schools, senior living facilities, etc.
Develop communication plan to identify key messages to help public reduce smoke exposure.
Consider providing brochures and/or informational pages to community through social media, websites, hard copies. See Social Media Resources
When Smoke Impacts a Community
Relay information to the public in a timely manner so they can make decisions about how to protect their health.
Consider incorporating simple graphics to disseminate relevant information through social media. See Social Media Resources
Handouts and Posters for Public Outreach
Links
Protect Yourself from Smoke and Extreme Heat
State, Local or Tribal AQ Partners
The Montana Wildfire Smoke page has an excellent compilation of specific smoke ready approaches that are useful in areas beyond Montana.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was an early leader in smoke ready concepts and has extensive information at their Smoke-Ready Toolbox for Wildfires page.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke
Western States Pediatric Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) Wildfires and Children's Health
Clean Air Room Options
HVAC System
Consult a qualified HVAC professional about different filters and settings you can use for your system to safely reduce smoke indoors in your home.
Run the fan continuously.
Close the outdoor air intake or use recirculate mode.
Stock up on replacement filters. Use a high-efficiency filter (rated MERV 13 or higher) if your HVAC system can safely use one.
Replace filters before they become heavily soiled.
Portable Air Cleaner
For about $100-$300 you can purchase a HEPA portable air cleaner and use it to clean the air in a room in your home. Choose an option that is the right size for your room. More information here < https://www.montanawildfiresmoke.org/hepa-filters.html>
Do not use an ozone-generating air cleaner
Run the air cleaner continuously on the highest fan speed to maximize filtration
Stock up on replacement HEPA filters and replace before they become heavily soiled.
DIY Air Cleaner
For about $40-$50 you can build a DIY air filter by attaching a 20” x 20” furnace filter to a 20” box fan using a bungee cord, duct tape or clips (don’t run this unattended or at night). Instructions and safety tips can be found in this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qr1Aj6Di7w
Replace the air filter before it becomes heavily soiled.
Frequent Questions from the Public About Smoke
(Answers from EPA)
The text that follows these common questions can be used for outreach materials or for answering direct questions about smoke and public health.
What’s in smoke from a wildland fire?
Wildland fire smoke is a complex mixture of water vapor, particulate matter (also called particle pollution), carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and other organic chemicals, nitrogen oxides, and trace minerals. The individual compounds present in smoke number in the thousands. Smoke composition depends on many factors, including the fuel type and moisture content, the fire temperature, wind conditions and other weather-related influences, whether the smoke is fresh or “aged,” and other variables.
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Particulate matter is the principal pollutant of concern from wildland fire smoke for the relatively short term exposures typically experienced by the public. Another pollutant of concern during smoke events is carbon monoxide, which is a colorless, odorless gas produced by incomplete combustion of wood or other organic materials. Carbon monoxide levels are likely to be highest in very close proximity to a smoldering fire. Smoke episodes can be, but are not always, associated with higher levels of ozone. Because fires do not generate ozone directly, but rather generate precursor emissions which can mix with emissions from other sources and lead to downwind increases in ozone, ozone production associated with smoke events can vary widely depending upon the characteristics of the source fire, the meteorological conditions associated with the smoke plume and any interactions with emissions from other sources.
Other air pollutants, such as the potent respiratory irritants acrolein and formaldehyde, as well as the carcinogen benzene, are present in smoke, but at much lower concentrations than particulate matter and carbon monoxide.
Is smoke bad for me?
Yes. Avoid breathing smoke if you can. If you are healthy, you usually are not at great risk from wildland fire smoke. But people with heart or lung diseases, such as congestive heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or asthma, and older adults and children are at greater risk. More specifically, people at greater risk of heart disease or stroke (and therefore at greater risk from particle pollution) include: men 45 years or older, and women 55 years or older; people with a family history of stroke or early heart disease (father or brother diagnosed before age 55; mother or sister diagnosed before age 65); people with high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol; people who are overweight or not physically active; and people who smoke cigarettes (EPA 2016).
How can I protect myself?
Pay attention to your local air quality reports. Most areas report EPA’s Air Quality Index (AQI) for fine particle pollution. Fine particle pollution is one of the biggest dangers from smoke. As smoke and air quality get worse, the AQI changes—and so do guidelines for protecting yourself.
Use common sense. If it looks smoky outside, it’s probably not a good time to go for a run and it probably is a good time for your children to remain indoors.
Reducing physical activity is an effective strategy to lower your dose of inhaled air pollutants and thereby reduce health risks during a smoke event.
Here’s why: During exercise, you can increase your air intake as much as 20 times over your resting level, bringing more pollution deep into the lungs. Also, when you breathe through your mouth during exercise you bypass the natural filtering ability of the nasal passages again delivering more pollution to your lungs.
If you’re told to stay indoors, keep your windows and doors closed. Run your air conditioner if you have one. Keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean.
Be cautious when the weather is hot. If your home does not have air conditioning, and you depend on open windows and doors for ventilation, remaining inside with everything closed can be dangerous. Older individuals, or others in frail health run the risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. If outdoor temperatures are very high and you do not have air conditioning, it would be prudent to stay with friends or family members who do, to go to a cleaner air shelter in your community, or to leave the area.
Keep indoor particle levels lower by not using anything that burns, such as wood stoves and gas stoves, or even candles.
Don’t smoke. That puts more pollution in your lungs–and those of the people around you.
If you have asthma, be sure to take your medicines as prescribed. If your asthma action plan calls for you to measure your peak flows, make sure you do so. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.
If you have heart disease, or another cardiovascular disease, limit your exposure to smoke and check with your doctor or health care provider about other ways to protect yourself.
How can I tell when smoke levels are dangerous? I don’t live near a monitor.
Generally, the harder it is to see, the worse the smoke. Some states, especially in the western U.S., use a visibility guide to help you know when smoke levels may pose a concern for you. This technique is not particularly accurate and entirely invalid in areas of high humidity, especially in the southern U.S. Always stay alert for symptoms (see next question).
How do I know if I’m being affected?
You may have a scratchy throat, cough, sore sinuses, headache, a runny nose and stinging eyes. Children, older adults and people with lung diseases may find it hard to breathe as deeply as usual, and they may cough or feel short of breath. People with lung diseases such as asthma or chronic bronchitis, or heart diseases such as congestive heart failure, may find their symptoms worsening.
Should I leave my home because of smoke?
Maybe. The particles in smoke do get inside your home. If smoke levels are high for long enough (such as several days), these particles can build up to unsafe levels indoors.
If you have symptoms (scratchy throat, cough, sore sinuses, headache, a runny nose, stinging eyes, or worsening of heart or lung disease symptoms), call your doctor. This is particularly important for people with heart or lung diseases, the elderly, and children. If you live in an area affected by wildland fire smoke, and the outside air clears, consider opening windows to clear the air inside your home. This also is a good time to do outdoor activities.
Are the effects of smoke permanent?
Not usually. Healthy adults and children generally find that their symptoms go away after the smoke is gone.
Do air filters help?
Indoor air filtration devices with HEPA filters can reduce the levels of particles indoors. Make sure to change your HEPA filter regularly. Don’t use an air cleaner that works by generating ozone, which will put more pollution in your home.
Do dust masks help?
No. Paper “comfort” or “nuisance” masks trap large dust particles — not the tiny particles found in smoke. These masks generally will not protect your lungs from wildland fire smoke.
You may be able to buy disposable respirators, known as “N95” or “P100” masks at a hardware or home repair store or at a pharmacy. These respirators give some protection when used the right way. Check
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with your doctor before using a mask: they can make breathing more difficult for people with existing heart or lung conditions. Guidelines for mask-fitting and respirator use can be found in the Wildfire Guide for Public Health Officials (Stone et al. 2016).
More Smoke Ready Information and Success Stories
The Washington State Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network has developed a nice Smoke Ready Toolkit that includes a sample agenda, presentation template and talking points, and 3 videos to help jumpstart efforts at the local community level to encourage smoke readiness. All content is available in English and Spanish.
Watch a Webinar called Resident HEPA Filter Programs: Community Solutions for Creating Clean Air by the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network.
