Wildfire smoke can cause a range of health problems including trouble breathing, coughing , headaches, chest pain.
Children, pregnant women, older adults, those with asthma, heart disease and other chronic illnesses are especially vulnerable to these health impacts.
Precautions to Avoid Negative Health Outcomes
These include: staying indoors (if possible), limiting outdoor physical activity (such as running, walking, bicycling, sports), closing windows at home, using an indoor air filter, keeping windows closed while driving and wearing a N95 or N100 rated filtration mask (available at hardware home repair stores).
Smoke from wildfires increases health risks for sensitive groups, including children and babies, especially those who also have asthma or other health conditions. Pregnant women, people over 65, and those who have heart, lung and other health conditions are also at higher risk.
Please check Puget Sound Clean Air Agency website frequently for updates on air quality. Air quality can change quickly, depending on the wind.
Breathing smoky air can cause a wide range of symptoms from watery eyes and coughing to chest pain and asthma attacks. If you or someone you know is experiencing serious symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, or call 911 if these symptoms become life-threatening.
Recommendations from Washington State Department of Health
- Close windows and doors as much as possible. Use fans or an air conditioner (AC) when it is hot, and set your AC to recirculate. If you do not have AC and it is too hot to stay home, go to a place with AC such as a mall, library, or community center in your city.
- Everyone should stay indoors and avoid strenuous physical activities outside.
- Keep indoor air clean.
- Don’t add to indoor air pollution. Don’t use candles, food boilers, incense, or gas stoves.
- Don’t vacuum as vacuuming stirs up additional particles into the air.
- Use an air cleaner with a HEPA filter,but do not use an air cleaner that produces ozone.
- Consider creating your own air purifier with a box fan if you cannot afford an air cleaner.
- Make sure everyone drinks plenty of water.
Information flyers in 10 languages
Resources for everyone as well as specific information for people who are especially sensitive to smoke (English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, Ukrainian, Vietnamese)
Information Flyers in 10 Languages on Air Quality