Wildfire season is already underway in the Inland Northwest, with the Grove Fire resulting in evacuation orders for residents near Geiger Heights on Tuesday.
The Washington Department of Health, among other agencies, recently aimed to raise awareness of one particular aspect of fire season: smoke exposure.
During their Smoke Ready Week from June 10 to June 14, the Washington Department of Health asked the public to think about all aspects of what wildfire smoke can do.
Research shows more and more the negative health impacts of smoke exposure.
According to the DOH, common symptoms from smoke exposure are sore throat, irritated eyes, headache and fatigue, but more serious cases can result in hospitalization or death.
"Some of the key factors that increase risk for smoke are around life stage, differences in health status, and differences in exposure," air quality epidemiologist Julie Fox said. "That leads to a really long list of specific sensitive groups.
"So that includes people with pre-existing conditions like asthma, or other respiratory diseases and cardiovascular disease. It also includes children, people over 65 years of age, pregnant people, outdoor workers, people of color, tribal and indigenous people, and people with low income."
People in those categories often have increased exposure levels because of their job or where they live, or they're less likely to be able to afford mitigation measures.
Still, Fox emphasized that residents should look out for themselves and others during smoke season, which could look like any number of methods.
The first step is to go inside with doors and windows closed, she said.
"Reduce other indoor sources of pollution by doing things like avoiding burning candles or incense," she continued. "Don't fry or broil; don't vacuum during those smoky times unless your vacuum has a filter."
If you can afford it, finding a way to clean the particulate matter out of the air inside your home is very important, Fox emphasized.
“You can do that by increasing the filtration level of your HVAC system if you have one," she said. "Or you can supplement by using HEPA portable air cleaners or a do-it-yourself box fan filter.”
People shouldn’t just be thinking about their homes when it comes to preparing for wildfire smoke, Fox added.
“We need to get our public ready to be thinking about all the different indoor spaces that we use in our lives and how we can have cleaner air in them," she said. "And that's going to take preparation and investment.”
Those spaces might include a place of work or public buildings.
"And remember that the list of sensitive groups is very long," Fox said. "So that really means we have to take care of ourselves, our family members, and our friends who we're particularly concerned about. And doing that really means being vigilant, finding ways to adjust."
For information on air quality, you can visit the Washington Smoke Blog or regional clean air agency websites.
