Bazaar
What Wildfire Smoke Does To Your Body | Weather.com
Advertisement
Advertisement

Breathing

What Wildfire Smoke Does To Your Body

Play

At a Glance

  • Wildfire smoke is mainly made up of microscopic particulate matter.
  • When inhaled, it can go deep inside the lungs and bloodstream.
  • Smoke from wildfires can impact air quality thousands of miles away.

Sign up for the Morning Brief email newsletter to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

Wildfire smoke is linked to a host of medical problems, even in people who are otherwise healthy.

Why is wildfire smoke so bad for us?

-Wildfire smoke is made up mainly of microscopic particulate matter 30 times smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair.

-The particles are made up of things like acids, chemicals, metals, soil and dust from whatever the fire is burning – including vegetation, buildings and vehicles.

-When inhaled, they can go deep inside the lungs and bloodstream.

-Research has shown smoke from wildfires is 10 times more hazardous to humans than similar pollution from other sources.

-The CDC says breathing in wildfire smoke can cause coughing, shortness of breath, increased heart rate and other immediate effects, even in healthy people.

-It can also aggravate chronic heart and lung conditions, increase the risk of stroke and heart attack, damage vital organs and shorten a person’s lifespan.

Weather.com meteorologist Danielle Banks adds:

-“Air quality can be affected hundreds or thousands of miles away from the actual fire.”

-“Small particles of smoke can stay in the air and move through the atmosphere for weeks depending on how long the fires last.”

-“Pets can also be affected by unhealthy air and if possible, should be brought indoors.”

Advertisement

What can you do to protect yourself?

-There are a few ways to track your local air quality index (AQI), including the federal government’s AirNow website and The Weather Channel app.

-NOAA says: “The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air.”

-For some people, health issues can start with relatively low AQI. The higher the number gets, the worse the effects.

-It may be necessary to stay indoors with windows and doors closed and avoid outdoor activities.

Want to know more?

-READ: 120 Million Americans Exposed To Unhealthy Levels Of Smog And Soot

-READ: Air Pollution May Increase Risk Of Dementia, Analysis Finds

-READ: Breathing Is Going To Get Harder; This Is Why

-WATCH: Dangers Of Wildfire Smoke And How To Avoid Them

-WATCH: Air-Choking Pollution From Wildfires Could Get Even Worse

-READ: Wildfire Smoke Might Be Coming For Your Favorite Vegetable

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

Advertisement
Hidden Weather Icon Masks
Hidden Weather Icon Symbols