The California Wildfires Are Making the Air Toxic—Here’s How to Protect Your Health
Los Angeles residents are dealing with dangerously unhealthy air as three California wildfires continue to burn across the greater LA region, destroying homes and prompting a smoke advisory from the city’s Department of Public Health. For perspective, an air quality index (AQI) of 1srcsrc is considered hazardous for sensitive groups, while anything over 15src poses
Los Angeles residents are dealing with dangerously unhealthy air as three California wildfires continue to burn across the greater LA region, destroying homes and prompting a smoke advisory from the city’s Department of Public Health. For perspective, an air quality index (AQI) of 1srcsrc is considered hazardous for sensitive groups, while anything over 15src poses risks to everyone, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And as of Wednesday morning, the AQI for most of the LA metropolitan area was well over 3srcsrc.
When you breathe in air above healthy levels, “the lungs and nasal passages…act as they would towards a bacteria or a virus, triggering an initial response of coughing and sneezing, and a more long-term response of mucous production and inflammation,” Tania Elliott, MD, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, tells SELF.
At best, this can irritate your lungs. But at worst, they can cause serious, long-term health repercussions—a risk no one should take lightly. That’s why taking every possible safety precaution is crucial. Here’s what you need to know.
Why should I be concerned about air quality?
Before diving into the specifics, it’s important to distinguish the two main categories of air pollution. First, there’s ground-level ozone, a harmful type of pollution that forms when certain chemicals (nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds) are exposed to heat and sunlight from sources like car exhaust, industrial emissions, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NAOO).
The second category is particulate matter. This includes things like dust, dirt, soot, and smoke—all of which are usually emitted into the air by vehicles, factories, construction sites, and yep, wildfires. While your nose and mouth can generally help filter out these airborne contaminants, this kind of pollution is concerning because it can become so concentrated, Raymond Casciari, MD, a pulmonologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, tells SELF. “There’s a point where the amount is so much that it overcomes your natural filtering system,” he explains—and an event as severe as a large-scale wildfire can definitely overwhelm your respiratory system.
Generally, high pollution levels are dangerous for everyone—even short-term exposure can make it hard to breathe and contribute to long-term health issues like impaired lung function and respiratory diseases. However, the risks are especially high for anyone with preexisting lung conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). “The harmful materials in the air can exacerbate the underlying lung disease and result in increased cough, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing,” Jonathan Parsons, MD, director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF.
How to stay safe during poor air quality days
It’s easy to feel helpless when the state of the environment is out of your control. However, there are still some things you can do to protect yourself.
1. Stay informed.
For starters, you’ll want to keep tabs on the air quality near you—and AirNow.gov is a great resource for that. This site breaks down air quality reports across the country on any given day, using a color-coded scale (green=good, red=hazardous). It also offers detailed forecasts about problematic air quality. That way, you can plan ahead for days when pollution is expected to sp
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