Air Quality and Wildfire - Frequently Asked Questions

Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality

Updated July 23, 2024

Summer and fall air quality in Spokane can often be impacted by regional wildfires. This results in air pollution that is sometimes unhealthy for all. During times of poor air quality, Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) and Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (Spokane Clean Air) urge residents to understand the health risks associated with wildfire smoke and take precautions to protect their health.

Current air quality information is provided by Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency and updated every hour using the Air Quality Index (AQI), which reports the level of air quality and health concern across six categories.

Statewide air quality information is available at Washington Smoke Blog.

Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles (called PM2.5) from burning vegetation, building materials and other materials. Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick, even someone who is healthy, if there is enough smoke in the air. Breathing in smoke can have immediate health effects, including the following:

If you have questions about the health effects of wildfire smoke, call the Washington Poison Center (WPC) at 800.222.1222.

While inhaling smoke isn't good for anyone, some people are especially sensitive and more likely to experience health problems related to wildfire smoke including the following:

• Older adults over age 65. This is because they are more likely to have unrecognized heart or lung diseases.
• Infants and children under 18. Their lungs and airways are still developing, and they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults.
• Pregnant women. Both the mother and fetus are at increased risk of health effects.
• People who smoke because they are more likely to already have lower lung function and lung diseases.

People with existing health conditions such as the following are also more likely to experience health effects:

• Lung diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including bronchitis and emphysema.
• Respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis, colds or flu.
• Existing heart or circulatory problems, such as dysrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and angina.
• Prior history of heart attack or stroke.
• Diabetes because they are more likely to have an undiagnosed cardiovascular disease.

Respiratory symptoms such as dry cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing are common symptoms of both wildfire smoke exposure and some respiratory illnesses. See how the symptoms compare below. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or chest pain, get medical attention as soon as possible by calling 911 or calling ahead to the nearest emergency medical facility. If you have a fever, cough or shortness of breath, proceed as if you may have a respiratory virus, protect others by staying home and call your healthcare provider to discuss testing and other possible reasons for your illness.

Here are some steps you can take to limit exposure to wildfire smoke.

• When a wildfire occurs in your area, watch for local news or health warnings about smoke and air quality. Pay attention to local air quality reports and public health messages and take extra safety measures such as avoiding time outdoors, including limiting outdoor physical activity. See resources on this page.
• If it is recommended you stay indoors, keep your indoor air as clean as possible by reducing smoke intake into your home. Close windows and doors unless it is very hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one but keep the fresh-air intake closed (set to recirculate) and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. Turn off fans that vent outside—like your bathroom fan. These pull in outside air through cracks around windows and doors.
• Reduce indoor pollution as much as possible when smoke levels are high. Limit use of anything that burns, such as candles and fireplaces. Do not smoke tobacco or other products. Limit activities such as vacuuming, dusting and sweeping, that stir up particulates in your home. Avoid using fragranced air fresheners, cleaners or essential oils, as they may trigger asthma or allergies. Reduce cooking, which creates heat and fine particles.
• Improve your indoor air filtration to prevent smoke particles from getting into your home. You can do this by increasing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) filtration by using a portable air clear with a HEPA filter or by using a DIY box fan filter. It’s important to remember that while these filtration methods can help reduce the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in the air, none of these methods provide protection from COVID-19. Follow best practices including wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing and good hand hygiene. See the next section for more information about these methods.
  
• Follow your healthcare provider’s advice about medications and respiratory management plan if you have asthma or another lung disease. Call your provider if symptoms worsen.

Fact Sheet: Wildfire Smoke and Your Health

Increase HVAC Filtration

You can improve the air quality in your home by reducing the fine particles (PM2.5) coming into your home during smoke events. Your home’s HVAC system is the best way to reduce fine particles from wildfire smoke throughout your home, rather than in a single room. Increase the filtration in your home HVAC system to a MERV rating 13 filter with the deepest pleat your system can accommodate to reduce fine particles. Close the air intake to keep wildfire smoke out. Make sure to consult your HVAC manual or consult with an HVAC professional before making improvements. Change the filter when dirty or indicated by manufacturer’s instructions.

Use a Portable Air Cleaner with a HEPA Filter

A portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter can reduce fine particles (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke in a single room. Select one that is rated for the size of room where you plan to use it. The rating is based on the square footage of the room and the Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). Consider the noise rating as well, as some can be quite loud. Choosing one rated for a larger size room and then running it at a lower setting can reduce the noise.

Do not use ozone generators, personal air purifiers, or electrostatic precipitators and ionizers that produce ozone, which is a respiratory irritant. Check that it has been certified to avoid ozone exposures through the California Certified Air Cleaning Devices portal. Place it in a room where you spend time, with the windows and doors closed. Change the filter when dirty or indicated by manufacturer’s instructions.

Learn more about choosing a portable air cleaner

Use a DIY Box Fan Filter

DIY-ing a box fan filter can be a less expensive option to reduce fine particles (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke in a single room. When building your own box fan filter it is important to understand their limitations and the potential risks.

Select a standard box fan and a filter with a MERV 13 rating of the same dimensions. There are different designs to consider, such as those where the filter is attached by bungee cord, the filter is screwed on brackets, and two filters are attached to create a triangle shape. Place the constructed DIY box fan filter in a room, ideally a small room where you spend time, with the windows and doors closed. Keep it away from a window or wall so that the front or back are not blocked. Do not run unattended and monitor for overheating to reduce the risk of fire. Change the filter when dirty.

Learn how to make a DIY filter

Washington State Dept. of Ecology Make Your Own Clean Air Fan (video) English Spanish

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency DIY Air Filter (video)

Colville Tribes Box Fan Filter DIY Users Guide (video)

During a wildfire smoke event, you can set up a clean room—a space set up to keep smoke and other particulate levels as low as possible. Read about how you can set up a clean room in your home, or watch this video for instructions.

Fact Sheet: Wildfire Smoke: How to Create a Clean Room

SRHD does not typically recommend face masks as the best option for members of the general public to reduce their exposure to wildfire smoke. It is better to stay indoors and keep indoor air clean.

If members of the general public need to use a face mask for a limited period of time outside during a smoke event, it is recommended to use an N95 or other NIOSH respirator rated for fine particulates while also taking several necessary steps to ensure it is worn correctly to achieve a proper fit and seal. N95 respirators are not an option for everyone, as they are not recommended for children, not as effective with facial hair, and those with pre-existing conditions should first consult with a healthcare provider.

Cloth face coverings generally do not provide much protection from breathing in wildfire smoke. Smoke particulates are much smaller than the respiratory droplets that carry viruses.

Getting regular exercise is very important for your health. However, when exercising, your air intake increases. If you exercise when it's smoky out, you will inhale more polluted air. If you are sensitive to smoke, consider limiting your activities when the air quality is in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category. Please note that people with asthma or lung and heart conditions may be more sensitive to poor air quality, so it may be best to reduce indoor and outdoor activities when air quality is in the Moderate category.

Populations at increased risk for severe respiratory problems from wildfire smoke include children and adolescents, especially when active. Children under the age of 6 are most at risk for experiencing severe respiratory problems from wildfire smoke. When air quality conditions deteriorate into "unhealthy" ranges, the best thing to do is limit outdoor exposure.

For more information, please see the Washington State Department of Health Air Quality Guide for School Activities and Sports.

If there are concerns about indoor air quality in the workplace, check with your employer about keeping the air inside as clean as possible. The windows and doors should be kept closed. The building air conditioner should be used with the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside.

Note: According to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries' (L&I) Emergency Wildfire Smoke Rule, employers are required to take steps to limit workers’ exposure to smoke when smoke particulates, known as PM2.5, reach certain levels.

Visit L&I’s website to learn more.

When it’s smoky out and outdoor air quality is considered unhealthy or hazardous, it’s important to minimize health risks related to exposure to smoky conditions. Consider the following best practices from L&I:

• Relocate work to less smoky areas.
• Reschedule work until the air quality improves.
• Reduce the level or duration of work that is physically demanding.
• Provide enclosed structures or rooms that supply filtered air.
• Provide vehicles equipped with air conditioning; in poor air quality employees should operate the air conditioning in "recirculate" mode and keep vents and windows closed.

Note: According to L&I’s Emergency Wildfire Smoke Rule, employers are required to take steps to limit workers’ exposure to smoke when smoke particulates, known as PM2.5, reach certain levels.

Visit L&I’s website to learn more.

You may ask to voluntarily wear a NIOSH-approved dust mask at work, such as an N95, when smoke from wildfires enters the work environment.

Your employer may also permit you to voluntarily use of other types of NIOSH-approved respirators, such as half-facepiece elastomeric respirators with HEPA cartridges, but any such use would need to comply with medical evaluations and other applicable requirements in the Respirators rule, Chapter 296-842 WAC.

Note: According to L&I’s Emergency Wildfire Smoke Rule, employers are required to take steps to limit workers’ exposure to smoke when smoke particulates, known as PM2.5, reach certain levels.

Visit L&I’s website to learn more.