What’s Really in Wildfire Smoke—and How Does It Affect Your Health?

Since 1983, there has been a startling average of roughly 70,000 wildfires per year. Even worse is that over time, wildfires have become more frequent, larger, and more intense, with fire season getting longer and emissions growing. Wildfires aren’t merely an outdoor issue. The smoke and pollution they create can stay put for a long time, easily making its way into your home and worsening the indoor air quality, which can lead to numerous health issues. 

In this blog, learn more about what specifically makes up wildfire smoke, how long it might linger, why it’s a threat to your health, and what you can do to protect yourself.

What is Wildfire Smoke Made Of?

Wildfire smoke contains a variety of substances, all of which are dangerous in their own ways. These include:

• Gases, like carbon monoxide.

• Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

• Particle pollution, also called particulate matter (PM).

Particulate matter, a combination of solid and liquid droplets suspended in the air, is often the main contaminant involved and poses the biggest threat to public health. We could break PM down further and potentially find it to be made of acids, inorganic compounds (like ammonium sulfate), dust, metals, and mold spores.

How Long Can Wildfire Smoke Last? 

The length of time wildfire smoke lingers depends on a few factors, especially weather conditions, like the wind and rain. Atmospheric stability also matters. And of course, the size and intensity of the fire play a role. 

Under certain circumstances—like a lack of wind or rain to clear it out—wildfire smoke can hang around days and even weeks. Worse yet is that smoke is not contained to the immediate area of the wildfire. If the wind helps it move out, it has to go somewhere. This means that wildfire smoke can spread hundreds and even thousands of miles. Additionally, it can spread as high as five miles into the atmosphere, where thunderstorms form!

What does this mean for your health? It means that even if you don’t live close to a wildfire, and even if it’s contained very quickly, your health could pay the price for it for months to come. Let’s talk about that next.

What Threats Do Wildfires Pose to Your Health?

As we mentioned earlier, the particulate matter is very concerning. Because PM is so small, these particles can penetrate just about anything, from homes and buildings to your lungs and bloodstream. And yet, despite how small they are, concentrations during wildfires can become so high that you can actually see the PM pollution in the air.

The Specifics of PM

Particulate matter can be categorized by type and size. Coarse particles (PM10-PM2.5) have a diameter between 2.5 and 10 micrometers. Fine particles (PM2.5) have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers. Fine particles are more commonly found in wildfire smoke and make up the main pollutant that the smoke emits—about 90%. The smaller the particle, the bigger the threat it poses because it can more easily get deep into your body. 

When we inhale PM, it gets deep into the tissues of our lungs, and that’s where the problems begin. Research has linked PM exposure to:

• Decreased lung function.

• Irritation of the airways.

• Coughing.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Heart attacks.

• Irregular heartbeat.

Those at even greater risk include individuals who already suffer from cardiovascular or respiratory issues, aging adults, children, and pregnant women. 

We could extrapolate this further. Wildfire smoke has severe ramifications for the environment, which can then lead to more health issues. For instance, the smoke can increase the acidity of bodies of water (therefore contributing to acid rain), deplete the nutrients of our soil, and damage crops.

While you can’t control what happens outdoors, thankfully, there are a few steps you can take to better protect the indoor air quality at home.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality During Wildfires

If you live in the vicinity of wildfires, there are a few practical things you can do to keep some of that pollution out of your home.

• Keep the doors and windows closed as much as possible, and avoid going outside.

• If you need to leave the house, wear a mask—ideally, a N95 or KN95 mask. These are designed to fit close to the face and can capture and filter up to 95% of tiny particles in the air. If you’re familiar with these masks, it’s because many people wore them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Change your HVAC filters regularly. In fact, depending on how bad the smoke in your area is, you might benefit from changing them more frequently until the air clears. Ask a professional in your area for a recommendation.

• Don’t wear your outdoor shoes around the house. Depending on the severity of the pollution, consider showering and changing clothes as soon as you step inside.

• Similarly, wipe down your pets after they go outside, and bathe them regularly.

• Use a HEPA 13 air purifier to capture everything else you may miss. 

The Importance of HEPA Filtration

Any air purifier worth its salt needs a specific type of filtration. Importantly, it needs multiple layers of filtration. Sans’ three filters include a cleanable-pre-filter, a full pound of activated carbon, and a medical-grade HEPA 13 filter. We top it off with UV-C light for the ultimate defense against pathogens like viruses and bacteria. This also prevents further contaminants from growing on the other filters. Plus, Sans has a sensor to specifically monitor PM2.5, PM10, and VOCs, all of which, as discussed, are prominent in wildfire smoke.

It helps to be proactive and follow the tips we mentioned a moment ago, but there will always be contaminants in your home, even more so if you live near wildfires. Learn more about the Sans air technology and how we can help protect your health.