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(Note: The following links are
in PDF format and require
Acrobat Reader™
to view.)
The ADHS Wildfire Plan is
available on-line [PDF 1.5 MB]. Smoke generated by wildland
fires can pose a major health risk. It is primarily made up of small
particles, gases, and water vapor, with trace amounts of hazardous air
pollutants. Most harmful are the particles (or particulate matter)
smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (70 micrometers is the diameter
of a human hair). If these particles are inhaled deeply into the lungs,
they can damage lung tissue and cause respiratory and cardiovascular
problems.
Symptoms from short-term smoke exposure range from scratchy throat,
cough, irritated sinuses, headaches, runny nose, and stinging eyes to
more serious reactions among persons with asthma, emphysema, congestive
heart disease, and other existing medical conditions. Older adults and
children are also high-risk groups. Find out what you can do to protect
your health when smoke levels are dangerously high.
Ways to Protect Your
Family's Health From Wildfire Smoke
Pay attention to local air quality reports. Stay alert to any
news coverage or health warnings related to smoke. Also find out if your
community reports EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI, based on data
from local air quality monitors, tells you about the daily air quality in
your area and recommends precautions you can take to protect your health.
As smoke gets worse, the concentration of particles in the air changes -
and so do the steps you should take to protect yourself.
Use visibility guides. Monitoring smoke levels from wildland fires is difficult because these fires
usually occur in remote areas and the smoke impacts are transitory.
Because wildland fire smoke is highly visible,
it is possible to visually estimate smoke levels and estimate potential
health impacts. Generally, the worse the visibility is, the worse the
smoke is.
Guide for using the following smoke table:
· Face away from the sun.
· Determine the limit of your
visibility range by looking for targets at known distances (miles).
Visibility range is the point at which even high contrast objects totally
disappear.
· Use the visibility range values
below to determine the applicable health category. Click here to view
the smoke table [PDF 538K]
Use common sense. If it looks smoky outside, it is probably not
a good time for outdoor activities. And it's probably not a good time for
your children to play outdoors.
If you are advised to stay indoors, keep your windows and doors
closed. Make sure air conditioning units have a clean filter in the air
intakes. Devices with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters can
reduce the indoor pollution. Don’t use devices that generate ozone. Ozone
creates even more pollution.
Do not add to indoor air pollution. Don’t use anything that
burns, such as wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves, or even candles.
Don’t vacuum. That stirs up particles already inside your home. Don’t
smoke. That puts even more pollution in your lungs, and in the lungs of
people around you.
Dust masks aren’t enough! Common masks will not protect your
lungs from small particles in smoke. HEPA masks may filter out the small
particles but are not suitable for people with lung diseases. Those with
lung diseases should follow your respiratory management plan. Call your
doctor if symptoms worsen.
What to do During
a Fire [PDF 562K] and After a Fire [PDF
361K] brochures contain information to protect your health and to get
ready for the upcoming fire season.
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