Forest fires are a natural and often necessary occurrence—a means by which the environment can replenish itself. Many varieties of plants and animals rely on forest fires to improve their habitat, recycle nutrients and keep their populations diversified. Yet as more and more rural or wooded land is bordering on new real estate developments, the danger of fire has become very apparent. When the natural fires are suppressed (by humans), the fuel that would normal have been used up begins to accumulate.
Once a large number of fires have been halted, it only takes one flame to get out of control because it is being feed by the excessive amounts vegetation and undergrowth. The most obvious consequence of these fires is property damage: the United States government spends billions of dollars each year on controlling wildfires. Fires can also cause soil erosion, landslides, debris flows and altered water quality.
Beyond the destruction to homes and business, there are dangers associated with wildfires that can affect people who live miles away from the actual blaze. This is because the smoke from these spreads on the wind and carries with it an alarmingly concentrated mixture of chemicals and particles. The wildfires that ravaged the Yukon in June-August 2004 drastically raised ozone levels in the northern hemisphere and produced about 30 billion kilograms of carbon monoxide. This added pollution affected air quality on a world-wide scale.
If you live in a region where wildfires are prevalent, you can refer to GeoMAC’s Wildland Fire Support website to view what fires are currently burning in your area.
What are the indications of air quality that is compromised by wildfires?
- Coughing
- A scratchy throat
- Irritated sinuses
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Headaches
- Stinging eyes
- A runny nose
For those with lung or heart disease, the symptoms will be more severe:
- Chest pain
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
Wild fire smoke affects individuals with allergies, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in the following ways:
- Inability to breathe normally
- Cough with or without mucus
- Chest discomfort
- Wheezing and shortness of breath
How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke:
- Often local news or weather reports will include air quality advisories. Be aware of what the air quality is in your area, and be especially watchful if you know that there are nearby fires burning.
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Keep indoor air as clean as possible.
- Turn off the fresh air vents on your air conditioner or heater and use HEPA/carbon filters, like those made by Dynamic Air Cleaners, in place of your normal furnace or a/c filters for added protection inside.
- Run a HEPA air filter (Dynamic’s CT500 is appropriate for a large bedroom) in individual bedrooms of individuals with lung or heart disease, allergies, asthma or COPD.
- Keep all windows and doors closed.
- If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too uncomfortably hot inside your home, seek shelter at a neighbor or friend’s house or go to a shopping mall or other public building.
- Do not use anything indoors that burns, because this will add to the amount of pollution in your indoor air. Items like candles, fireplaces and gas stoves should not be used. Smoking is a heavy pollutant and should be avoided completely when indoors.
- Do not run vacuum cleaners—this stirs up particulate inside the house.
- When in vehicles, keep all windows closed. If it becomes too hot inside the vehicle, the air conditioning in most cars can be switched so that it recycles the air inside the vehicle rather than draw in contaminated air from the outside.
- If you have asthma or some other condition that impairs lung capacity, stay on your prescribed medications and call your doctors if symptoms worsen.
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Do not rely on dust masks to keep tiny ashy particles out of your lungs. Most of the flimsy masks sold at hardware store are intended protect you from larger particles like sawdust. The smaller particles that are common with smoke will pass right through these masks. Masks that have HEPA filters to filter air will remove the tiny particles—but consult a health professional before any such mask is used. It is very important to get a good seal between the mask and the face, and a professional should help you with fitting a mask.
Most all masks will not reduce the amount of Carbon Monoxide inhaled—masks should only be worn if suggested by a healthcare provider.
For more information on wildfires:
CBC News: "Yukon Forest Fires"
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