How Wildfire Smoke Affects Your Health—and How You Can Protect Yourself
55 years, 2 months ago

How Wildfire Smoke Affects Your Health—and How You Can Protect Yourself

Wired  

As a series of massive fires continues to blaze through the Los Angeles area, blanketing neighborhoods with smoke and forcing thousands of people to evacuate their homes, air quality remains unhealthy throughout many parts of the county. Earlier this week, PM2.5 around Los Angeles rose to “hazardous” levels, the highest warning on the US Air Quality Index. “Wildfire smoke is risky for everybody, especially when the particulate matter that is being released is in large quantities for long periods, like what is happening in California right now,” says Zachary Rubin, a Chicago-area pediatric allergist and spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. “Any level of air pollution, including from wildfires, can be dangerous for your health,” says Laura Corlin, an environmental epidemiologist at Tufts University School of Medicine.

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History of this topic

Protect yourself from the dangerous haze of wildfire smoke
1 week, 1 day ago

Protect yourself from the dangerous haze of wildfire smoke

LA Times  

It visibly lingers in the air, during and after a wildfire: a thick blanket of smoke and soot coupled with ash coating parked cars. Exposure to air pollution such as wildfire smoke can also lead to the onset of asthma in otherwise healthy people, Lamb said. What’s elevating the health risk are the toxic chemicals from plastics, paint from the …

Is it safe to breathe in L.A.? Lawmakers call for federal action to monitor wildfire pollutants
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Is it safe to breathe in L.A.? Lawmakers call for federal action to monitor wildfire pollutants

LA Times  

The Palisades fire burns on Jan. 11 in the MountainGate Country Club area of Los Angeles, with smoke visible from the San Fernando Valley. The recent massive wildfires in Los Angeles County destroyed thousands of homes and vehicles, sending toxic chemicals into the air, soil and water — a health threat that a group of lawmakers says is going underreported …

What to Know About Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality
2 months, 1 week ago

What to Know About Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality

Live Mint  

-- As fires burned across LA this week, worried residents have been looking at measures of air quality to help determine how safe it is to be outside.Smoke from wildfires can travel thousands of miles and affect the quality of the air, making it particularly dangerous for the very young and elderly, as well as people with medical conditions that …

The long-term health effects of L.A. County wildfire smoke
2 months, 1 week ago

The long-term health effects of L.A. County wildfire smoke

LA Times  

An aerial view shows the Palisades fire burning on Jan. 11 in the MountainGate Country Club area of Los Angeles, with smoke visible from the San Fernando Valley. As the fire encroached on Pacific Palisades Elementary School, one of Los Angeles Unified School District’s low-cost air monitors recorded 1,100 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matter — the highest …

How to protect yourself against dangerous air pollutants caused by fires
2 months, 1 week ago

How to protect yourself against dangerous air pollutants caused by fires

NPR  

How to protect yourself against dangerous air pollutants caused by fires LEILA FADEL, HOST: The fires in Los Angeles have killed at least 25 people and chased tens of thousands from home. Dr. Medell Briggs is an emergency medicine clinician at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. MARTÍNEZ: Doctor, what are you advising patients about when to leave their homes …

What threats lurk in the smoke and ash of L.A.-area fires?
2 months, 2 weeks ago

What threats lurk in the smoke and ash of L.A.-area fires?

LA Times  

Smoke from the Palisades fire envelops the L.A. skyline, with Dodger Stadium in the foreground. “Windblown ash particles may be too large to be detected by air quality instrumentation and will not influence Air Quality Index levels,” the advisory stated. It has an updated “Fire and Smoke” map, or you can enter your ZIP Code and check the air in …

Risks from ash and air pollution remain for people returning after wildfires. Here are symptoms to watch for
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Risks from ash and air pollution remain for people returning after wildfires. Here are symptoms to watch for

CNN  

CNN — As some people return to the structures spared from Los Angeles wildfires, experts warn that they should be careful of the air inside and especially cautious when cleaning up. You especially don’t want to come into contact with the ash in your lungs, eyes or skin.” Los Angeles Public Health has declared a local health emergency for the …

Stay inside to avoid toxic Los Angeles wildfire smoke, residents warned
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Stay inside to avoid toxic Los Angeles wildfire smoke, residents warned

Deccan Chronicle  

Health bosses warned people living in Los Angeles on Saturday to stay indoors because of dangerous wildfire smoke wreathing the area.Monster blazes tearing through America's second largest city are pumping toxic clouds into the air, blanketing a vast region with choking fumes. "We are all experiencing this wildfire smoke, which is a mix of small particles, gasses and water vapors," …

Health officials urge residents to stay inside to avoid toxic smoke from LA wildfires
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Health officials urge residents to stay inside to avoid toxic smoke from LA wildfires

Firstpost  

Monster blazes tearing through America’s second largest city are pumping toxic clouds into the air, blanketing a vast region with choking fumes A helicopter drops water on smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire burning behind Mulholland drive towards the Encino neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, January 10, 2025. Image- AFP Health bosses warned people living in Los Angeles on …

How Wildfire Smoke Exposure Affects Your Health
2 months, 2 weeks ago

How Wildfire Smoke Exposure Affects Your Health

Huff Post  

Anadolu via Getty Images Firefighters continue battling Palisades fire as flames rage across Los Angeles, California, United States on January 09, 2025. “A study from Montana found that seasons with record-high smoke were followed by more severe flu seasons, adding to the growing body of evidence that wildfire smoke can make people more susceptible to viruses and infections.” How wildfire …

Why smoke from the Los Angeles fires is so dangerous
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Why smoke from the Los Angeles fires is so dangerous

Live Mint  

Wildfires in California aren’t all wild anymore. “The combination of wildfire smoke in conjunction with human elements might be even more dangerous," said Dr. Sanjay Rajagopalan, chief of cardiovascular medicine at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute in Cleveland. “You can be hundreds of miles away and still have the effects of wildfire smoke on your health," said Dr. …

The flames from wildfires aren’t always the most dangerous part
2 months, 2 weeks ago

The flames from wildfires aren’t always the most dangerous part

Salon  

The spate of devastating fires hitting the Los Angeles area has dominated headlines and understandably so. Previous research has established that tiny particles in the air are linked to dementia, but the researchers found that long-term exposure to wildfire smoke specifically “was associated with dementia diagnoses.” They added that as climate change worsens, “interventions focused on reducing wildfire PM2.5 exposure …

Wildfire smoke in homes poses health risks that linger for months — tips to stay safe
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Wildfire smoke in homes poses health risks that linger for months — tips to stay safe

Raw Story  

Colleen E. Reid, University of Colorado Boulder When wildfires spread into neighborhoods, they burn all kinds of materials found in cars and houses and everything around them – electronics, paint, plastics, furniture. Elevated levels of metals and VOCs In 2021, after the Marshall Fire swept through neighborhoods near Boulder, Colorado, my colleagues and I at Colorado universities and labs heard …

Maps reveals where deadly fumes are in California wildfire areas
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Maps reveals where deadly fumes are in California wildfire areas

Daily Mail  

Parts of Southern California have been issued air quality advisories due to 35 wildfires in the region, which release toxins and create dangerous dust levels. The South Coast Air Quality Management set up smoke and windblown dust alerts on Tuesday, which will remain until Wednesday evening. Muntu Davis, Health Officer for Los Angeles County, said: 'Predicting where ash or soot …

Thick smoke plagues Southern California as ghastly wildfire prompts evacuation
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Thick smoke plagues Southern California as ghastly wildfire prompts evacuation

Hindustan Times  

Massive wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area have filled the air with a thick cloud of smoke and ash, prompting air quality advisories across a vast stretch of Southern California. Smoke and flames rise from burning structures as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, at the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, …

Monstrous wildfires blanket Southern California with smoky air, threatening the health of millions
Trending News
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Monstrous wildfires blanket Southern California with smoky air, threatening the health of millions

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Massive wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area have filled the air with a thick cloud of smoke and ash, prompting air quality advisories across a vast stretch of Southern California. About 17 million people living across Southern California are covered by smoke and dust advisories issued for the three wildfires, according to the South Coast Air …

How to protect yourself from the smoke caused by L.A. wildfires
2 months, 2 weeks ago

How to protect yourself from the smoke caused by L.A. wildfires

LA Times  

Smoke obscures the devastation of homes by the Palisades fire Wednesday on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Conditions like these aren’t good for anyone, but they’re particularly bad for people in vulnerable groups, including children, those with asthma or other respiratory conditions, people with heart disease and those who are pregnant. Don’t use a gas stove or wood-fired appliances, since …

Wildfire smoke’s health risks can linger in homes that escape burning
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Wildfire smoke’s health risks can linger in homes that escape burning

Salon  

On Dec. 30, 2021, a wind-driven wildfire raced through two communities just outside Boulder, Colorado. In a new study released three years after the Marshall Fire, my colleagues and I looked at the health effects people experienced when they returned to still-standing homes. Tests in homes found elevated metals and VOCs In the days after the Marshall Fire, residents quickly …

Wildfire Smoke Is Even More Dangerous Than Anyone Knew
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Wildfire Smoke Is Even More Dangerous Than Anyone Knew

Wired  

This story originally appeared on High Country News and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. Here are some of the biggest advancements in scientists’ understanding of wildfire smoke in 2024: New Estimates Predict 125 Million Americans Will Face Unhealthy Air from Wildfires by 2054 Wildfire smoke has erased improvements in air quality in recent years, a trend that is …

Residents exposed to wildfire smoke have higher dementia risk, study finds
4 months ago

Residents exposed to wildfire smoke have higher dementia risk, study finds

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Now, in an 11-year study of more than 1.2 million Kaiser Permanente members in Southern …

Opinion: Wildfire smoke is polluting California and beyond. Here’s how to protect yourself
4 months, 1 week ago

Opinion: Wildfire smoke is polluting California and beyond. Here’s how to protect yourself

LA Times  

The Santa Ana winds caused a massive wildfire this month in Ventura County, with stunning visuals of orange skies in Oxnard reminiscent of 2020 in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can’t rely on the sky’s color, which can be deceiving: In 2020, wildfires turned San Francisco’s sky dark orange, but air quality was actually worse after the sun returned …

Terrible air quality, smoky conditions in parts of Southern California due to fires
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Terrible air quality, smoky conditions in parts of Southern California due to fires

LA Times  

With the backdrop of a smoky sunset, a California Highway Patrol officer advises residents at a road block on Highway 38 because of the Line fire Sunday in Yucaipa, Calif. Two fires burning in the mountains of Southern California have caused major air quality concerns in some regions as wildfire smoke spreads. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has …

Wildfires are growing under climate change, and their smoke threatens farmworkers, study says
7 months, 1 week ago

Wildfires are growing under climate change, and their smoke threatens farmworkers, study says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy As wildfires scorched swaths of …

How to Stop Wildfire Smoke Damaging Your Health
7 months, 3 weeks ago

How to Stop Wildfire Smoke Damaging Your Health

Wired  

THIS ARTICLE IS republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. In a new study published in the journal Science Advances, we found that wildfire smoke likely contributed to more than 52,000 premature deaths across California alone from 2008 to 2018, with an economic impact from the deaths of more than $430 billion. Previous studies have examined the short-term …

Wildfire smoke may be worse for your brain than other air pollution, study says
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Wildfire smoke may be worse for your brain than other air pollution, study says

Associated Press  

Wildfire smoke may be worse for brain health than other types of air pollution, according to new research linking it to an increased risk of dementia. The findings, reported Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia, come as millions spent the weekend under air quality warnings from wildfires spewing smoke across the western U.S. At issue is fine …

Here's who is most at risk from wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself
8 months ago

Here's who is most at risk from wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself

NPR  

Here's who is most at risk from wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP Wildfire season is here again, and where there’s fire, there’s smoke – which, research shows, can be as deadly as the flames themselves. For children “Kids get a higher dose of PM2.5, because they’re active and they breathe more air relative to …

Wildfire smoke chokes parts of Canada and western US, with some areas under air quality alerts
8 months ago

Wildfire smoke chokes parts of Canada and western US, with some areas under air quality alerts

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Fires burning in California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington and other western states, as well as Canada, have filled the skies in regions of the western U.S. with smoke and haze, forcing some affected areas to declare air quality alerts or advisories. Unhealthy air pollution from wildfires have triggered air quality alerts and advisories in regions of the western …

The far-reaching impacts of wildfire smoke – and how to protect yourself
1 year, 1 month ago

The far-reaching impacts of wildfire smoke – and how to protect yourself

BBC  

The far-reaching impacts of wildfire smoke – and how to protect yourself Getty Images In 2023, Canadian wildfires caused significant decline in air quality in New York, and much further afield The air we breathe can have profound effects on our physical and mental health. One study of PM2.5 from wildfire smoke found that levels had increased by up to …

As climate hazards converge, more Californians are living in harm’s way
1 year, 1 month ago

As climate hazards converge, more Californians are living in harm’s way

LA Times  

State health officials know that extreme heat can cost lives and send people to the hospital, just like wildfire smoke. Explore the section In a study published Friday in the journal Science Advances, researchers determined that wildfire smoke and extreme heat together create a previously unrecognized “synergistic effect” or additional burden on people’s health — raising their risk of hospitalization …

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke harm low-income and nonwhite communities the most, study finds
1 year, 1 month ago

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke harm low-income and nonwhite communities the most, study finds

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are independently harmful to the human body, but together their impact on cardiovascular and respiratory systems is more dangerous and affects some communities more than others. The authors found that the combined harm of extreme heat and inhalation of wildfire smoke increased hospitalizations and disproportionately impacted low-income communities and Latino, Black, Asian …

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke harm low-income and nonwhite communities the most, study finds
1 year, 1 month ago

Extreme heat, wildfire smoke harm low-income and nonwhite communities the most, study finds

The Independent  

Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Extreme heat and wildfire smoke are independently harmful …

Unhealthy air quality lingers across parts of U.S. from drifting Canadian wildfire smoke
1 year, 8 months ago

Unhealthy air quality lingers across parts of U.S. from drifting Canadian wildfire smoke

Associated Press  

CHICAGO — For Chicagoans planning a lengthy outdoor run Monday, “today is not necessarily the day for that,” according to Kim Biggs of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Extensive swaths of the northern United States awoke to unhealthy air quality Monday morning or were experiencing it by midafternoon, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow.gov Smoke and Fire map. Fine …

How wildfire smoke affects your health
1 year, 8 months ago

How wildfire smoke affects your health

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Air quality ranged from “unhealthy” to “very unhealthy” in the Midwest with Chicago ranking number one in worst air …

Climate Change Keeps Making Wildfires And Smoke Worse. Scientists Call It The 'New Abnormal'
1 year, 8 months ago

Climate Change Keeps Making Wildfires And Smoke Worse. Scientists Call It The 'New Abnormal'

Huff Post  

FILE - A jogger runs along McCovey Cove outside Oracle Park in San Francisco, under darkened skies from wildfire smoke on Sept. 9, 2020. As Earth's climate continues to change from heat-trapping gases spewed into the air, ever fewer people are out of reach from the billowing and deadly fingers of wildfire smoke, scientists say. It’s an ever-moving baseline of …

Climate change keeps making wildfires and smoke worse. Scientists call it the ‘new abnormal’
1 year, 8 months ago

Climate change keeps making wildfires and smoke worse. Scientists call it the ‘new abnormal’

Associated Press  

It was a smell that invoked a memory. As Earth’s climate continues to change from heat-trapping gases spewed into the air, ever fewer people are out of reach from the billowing and deadly fingers of wildfire smoke, scientists say. It’s an ever-moving baseline of worse and worse.” It’s so bad that perhaps the term “wildfire” also needs to be rethought, …

Canada wildfires: What to do when the air quality is bad outside
1 year, 8 months ago

Canada wildfires: What to do when the air quality is bad outside

Al Jazeera  

Haze has settled over large swaths of North America from fires, an issue expected to continue into hottest months. Air quality considered “unhealthy” stretched from Quebec province in Canada to the US state of Michigan in the west, Connecticut in the east, and Virginia to the south, according to a real-time map maintained by the US Environmental Protection Agency. In …

Smoke continues to cover large swathes of US as Canada fires rage
1 year, 8 months ago

Smoke continues to cover large swathes of US as Canada fires rage

Al Jazeera  

Nearly a third of US citizens are under air quality warnings as haze covers Midwest and East Coast. Poor air quality caused by Canadian wildfires has continued to affect large swathes of North America, with nearly a third of United States residents warned of unhealthy conditions. Air quality warnings on Thursday stretched from Wisconsin and northern Illinois across Michigan and …

"No end in sight" to wildfire smoke suffocating American cities. And yes, climate change is to blame
1 year, 8 months ago

"No end in sight" to wildfire smoke suffocating American cities. And yes, climate change is to blame

Salon  

The Canadian wildfires are continuing a development that is becoming all too common: Climate change is causing extreme abnormal weather, and millions of people are suffering as a result. The National Weather Service warned that "with no end in sight to the Canadian wildfires and west to northwesterly winds expected to persist from south central Canada into the north central …

Smoke from Canada wildfires is increasing health risks in Black and poorer US communities
1 year, 9 months ago

Smoke from Canada wildfires is increasing health risks in Black and poorer US communities

Associated Press  

DETROIT — Smoky air from Canada’s wildfires shrouded broad swaths of the U.S. from Minnesota to New York and Kentucky on Wednesday, prompting warnings to stay inside and exacerbating health risks for people already suffering from industrial pollution. Detroit, a mostly Black city with a poverty rate of about 30%, had some of the worst air quality in the U.S. …

Chicago air quality unhealthy as Canadian wildfire emissions reach record levels and send smoke to Europe
1 year, 9 months ago

Chicago air quality unhealthy as Canadian wildfire emissions reach record levels and send smoke to Europe

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The air quality in Chicago has reached unhealthy levels as the city is affected by …

New York braces for unhealthy air quality as wildfire smoke is set to blanket the state
1 year, 9 months ago

New York braces for unhealthy air quality as wildfire smoke is set to blanket the state

Daily Mail  

It comes weeks after New York was the worst place for air quality earlier in June New York is bracing for unhealthy air levels again as smoke from Canadian wildfires looks set to blanket the state tomorrow, and Chicago has become the worst city in the world for air. Mayor Adams tweeted: ‘Due to incoming winds tonight and ongoing Canadian …

Canadian wildfire smoke gives Minnesota city the worst air in the US
1 year, 9 months ago

Canadian wildfire smoke gives Minnesota city the worst air in the US

Associated Press  

MINNEAPOLIS — St. Paul had the worst air quality in the United States on Wednesday as smoke from massive Canadian wildfires drifted across Minnesota a week after similar smoke blanketed the northeastern U.S. The smoke was “near the worst” on record for the Twin Cities, the Star-Tribune reported, citing Nick Witcraft, an air-quality meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. …

How to Check the Air Quality Near You
55 years, 2 months ago

How to Check the Air Quality Near You

Wired  

Whether you’re concerned about wildfire smoke from Canada or other pollutants that make the air less breathable, it’s a healthy habit to always check the air quality index on your phone. Here’s some crucial information about what the air quality index actually is, how to see the levels near you, and a few tips for taking care of yourself when …

When do experts think the wildfire smoke will clear?
1 year, 9 months ago

When do experts think the wildfire smoke will clear?

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. As of Friday morning, the Air Quality Index – used by public officials to measure air pollution – was …

Canadian wildfire smoke dissipates over NYC while over 50M Americans remain under air quality alerts
1 year, 9 months ago

Canadian wildfire smoke dissipates over NYC while over 50M Americans remain under air quality alerts

Daily Mail  

The iconic New York City skyline has re-appeared as the hazardous smog from Canada's record wildfires dissipated over the Big Apple - but over 50 million Americans remain under various levels of air quality warnings. WASHINGTON, DC: The Capitol is seen under a hazy morning sky as air pollution in the city remains poor A noxious yellow haze enveloped New …

Woman shares ‘insane’ glimpse at wildfire smoke from NYC apartment
1 year, 9 months ago

Woman shares ‘insane’ glimpse at wildfire smoke from NYC apartment

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

FAA delays flights to LaGuardia as smokey conditions persist from Canada wildfires
1 year, 9 months ago

FAA delays flights to LaGuardia as smokey conditions persist from Canada wildfires

The Independent  

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Federal authorities temporarily paused flights bound to New York City’s LaGuardia Airport from the Northeast, Ohio …

Canada wildfire smoke could linger over US for days: How deadly is it?
1 year, 9 months ago

Canada wildfire smoke could linger over US for days: How deadly is it?

Firstpost  

As wildfires continue to burn in Canada, several parts of the United States are expected to witness dangerous air quality over the next few days. “It’s not just one sort of chemical,” said Rima Habre, an expert in air quality and exposure science at the University of Southern California. As Daniel Kass, senior vice president, Environmental Health at Vital Strategies, …

New York air pollution hit hazardous ratings as wildfire smoke plagues East Coast
1 year, 9 months ago

New York air pollution hit hazardous ratings as wildfire smoke plagues East Coast

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Yellowing and ashen skies smothered New York City’s skyline on Wednesday as wildfire smoke drifting …

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