Here in the Pacific Northwest, forest fires are a fact of life. Look out your window right now and we are willing to bet you can see the filmy haze hovering along the horizon. Like fog, however, that haze is deceptive.
If you can see the smoke in the distance, chances are you're standing in it right now.
Unfortunately, there isn't much that we can do to help the air quality during forest fire season other than to do our part to reduce the number of fires and remove dead/decaying material that is prime fuel for fires.
Keep a "green circle" around your home by watering the grass and removing dead material, including trimming dead branches from your trees.
If you have acreage, consider removing dead trees and branches from your entire property. In areas where it is legal, you can burn the dead material during the wetter, safer winter and spring months. Just be sure to follow all applicable laws and watch for fire danger restrictions as spring turns to summer.
This will help protect your home, of course, but it won't do much for the air quality. What can you do? Remain indoors, especially as the quality decreases. If you must go outside, restrict the amount of work you do (if possible). Exercising or doing heavy labor in poor air conditions is bad for your health and may have long-term impacts. For those with certain medical conditions or those in high-risk groups (especially the very young and old), remaining in areas where air is at least partially filtered is important. Keep the windows shut and run air filtration systems if you have them.
How can you check the air quality index in your area? For locals, try visiting the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency. They have information on the air quality, burn bans, wood heating and more. For nation-wide coverage, visit the EPA's website, AirNow, for information across the United States.
What Do the Air Quality Index Levels Mean?
The following list of definitions was provided by the EPA through their Air Now website. They explain what each level of the index is called, what range it represents, and what it means as far as safety and affect groups.
Each category corresponds to a different level of health concern. The six levels of health concern and what they mean are:
- "Good" AQI is 0 to 50. Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk.
- "Moderate" AQI is 51 to 100. Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people. For example, people who are unusually sensitive to ozone may experience respiratory symptoms.
- "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" AQI is 101 to 150. Although general public is not likely to be affected at this AQI range, people with lung disease, older adults and children are at a greater risk from exposure to ozone, whereas persons with heart and lung disease, older adults and children are at greater risk from the presence of particles in the air.
- "Unhealthy" AQI is 151 to 200. Everyone may begin to experience some adverse health effects, and members of the sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.
- "Very Unhealthy" AQI is 201 to 300. This would trigger a health alert signifying that everyone may experience more serious health effects.
- "Hazardous" AQI greater than 300. This would trigger a health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected.
Bold statements taken from:
"Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics." AirNow. Environmental Protection Agency. Updated 31 August 2016. Web. Accessed 23 August 2018. https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi