Is wildfire smoke our new normal?

Every summer I worry about smoke from forest fires, and every summer my worst fear is realized. 

Is it just me, or do we seem to have a lot more fires? 

Well, a recent story from APNews says that:

"Smoke from wildfires was once considered a fleeting nuisance except for the most vulnerable populations. But it’s now seen in some regions as a recurring and increasing public health threat, said James Crooks, a health investigator at National Jewish Health, a Denver medical center that specializes in respiratory ailments."

 “There are so many fires, so many places upwind of you that you’re getting increased particle levels and increased ozone from the fires for weeks and weeks,” Crooks said.

Why do I worry so much? Well.....just because Son #2 ended up in ICU from smoke from a forest fire. It was horrible watching him struggle to breathe. They also had a heart monitor closely tracking his heart and the "crash cart" parked outside his room in case he stopped breathing.  

He's in college now, but even though this happened almost 15 years ago, I can clearly remember it in vivid detail. 

Other than worry, what can you do?  

Some people have started to prepare for the worst. In an area in Oregon, they retrofit public schools with "scrubbers" to filter the smoke. They also have a community alert system to notify residents by email and text message if the National Weather Service issues a smoke alert. 

At my house, we have a box of N95 respirators and standing air purifiers for bedrooms (not to be confused with humidifiers.) We had a bad wildfire near us last summer and every store in the large county sold out of N95 masks and air purifiers. Luckily, I had already stocked up.

If you get masks, make sure you know how to use one! This image shows how to properly wear an N95 mask:

 

It's important to protect your lungs since the particles from fires are so small (1/30th the diameter of a human hair). Those tiny particles can get deep into the lungs and cause coughing, asthma attacks and chest pain. And yes, even death. 

"Death can occur within days or weeks among the most vulnerable following heavy smoke exposure, said Linda Smith, chief of the California Air Resources Board’s health branch."

 So, like my Eagle Scout son, I am prepared! Just in case.....

I watch the weather report in my area, and they update us on any fires. I have air purifiers and a box of N95 masks. 

And now I just hope we don't get another bad fire again this year!