Throughout summer in BC, we expect to see more wildfire smoke in the air in different parts of the province. Breathing in wildfire smoke can irritate your eyes, nose and throat, cause you to cough and wheeze and give you a headache. It can also lead to more serious and longer-term effects, especially for people with pre-existing health conditions.

When wildfire smoke starts to affect the quality of the air we breathe, we need to reduce our exposure to​​ mitigate the health impacts. The key thing to do is to find cleaner indoor air.​​​​

People who live with conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease​ are most at risk from exposure to wildfire smoke. Pregnant people, infants, young children and the elderly are also at higher risk of experiencing short and long-term health effects. Check in on family and friends during wildfire season. 

​​​Plan ahead and find cleaner, indoor air

The first step to managing wildfire smoke exposure is knowing the forecast for your area and using the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) or AQmap.ca to stay up to date on local and regional air quality conditions. 

Accessing cleaner indoor air should be the primary focus:

• Get a commercial portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter or build a Do-It-Yourself air cleaner
  

• If you have a forced air system, make sure you have high-efficiency filters available to reduce smoke indoors

• ​If you can't keep the air in your whole home clean and cool, focus on one room such as a bedroom, where you will spend most of your time 
  

• When there's smoke in the air, close windows and doors and stay inside as much as possible
  

• If you have a chronic health condition, work with health care providers to create a management plan for smoky conditions, and make sure you have a supply of rescue medications on hand

• Reduce the duration and intensity of outdoor activities. If you have to be outside when it's smoky, consider wearing an N95 mask or a respirator​

​​Keep cool first​​

If temperatures are high and air quality is poor, be aware that heat poses a bigger risk than smoke for people and you should prioritize staying cool. Cooler, cleaner indoor air is the best way to reduce risk from heat and air pollution. Spend time in community spaces with air conditioning because they are most likely to have both cooler and cleaner air.

When you or a loved one starts to feel the effects of wildfire smoke, take steps to protect yourselv​​es. Find cleaner indoor air or wear a respirator if you experience mild symptoms such as: