Virginia has entered its spring wildfire season, and multiple fires in the mountains are lowering air quality in affected areas. You see where active and contained wildfires are on the Virginia Department of Forestry’s Wildfire Public Viewer. Page County has been especially affected, with several large wildfires.
Fires can release smoke particles that can cause health problems in people who breathe them. While large smoke particles settle out quickly, tiny particles called PM2.5 can be carried long distances. Breathing air with high PM2.5 can cause breathing problems in people with asthma or other lung diseases and can raise blood pressure and potentially lead to heart attack. You can check your local air quality and get information about air quality and health at AirNow. When air quality is low, try to spend less time outdoors, don’t exercise strenuously outdoors, and take breaks during outdoor activity. Children, the elderly, and people with heart or lung disease should be especially careful. Wearing an N95 respirator can help protect you while you are outside.
If there is smoke in outdoors air, while indoors you should keep windows and doors closed. You can run your HVAC fan to recirculate air so the HVAC filter can help remove particles. For bedrooms and other rooms where people spend a lot of time, a room HEPA air filter or air purifier can help. Filters with ozonizers or ionizers are not necessary and can generate chemicals that can irritate your lungs and eyes. Air filters should be sized according to the room size, and are only helpful if the room has doors that can be kept closed to keep the room air from mixing with air in other rooms.
You can read more about wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself at our Wildfire Smoke fact sheet.