Wildfire smoke and your health

It's common to experience respiratory symptoms during wildfire smoke exposure. These include dry cough, sore throat and difficulty breathing. 

• Contact your healthcare provider/doctor if you are experiencing symptoms. 
• If you have a medical emergency from smoke, you should call 911 or go to the hospital emergency room immediately.

Know the symptoms

Mild symptoms

These symptoms may resolve when the air clears: 

• Eye, nose or throat irritation
• Coughing
• Headaches

Severe problems 

Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen:

• Difficulty breathing, including asthma attack 
• Wheezing or persistent cough
• Irregular heartbeat, chest pain or fatigue

People with asthma or breathing issues are at higher risk for severe symptoms. Talk to your medical provider to create a plan for treatment of your symptoms when it’s smoky.

Who is at risk?

Some people are at increased risk from the health effects of wildfire smoke:

• People 65+
• People under 18
• People who are pregnant
• People with diabetes
• People with heart or lung disease
• People who live, work or are active outdoors 

People with certain chronic health conditions may be more likely to have serious health effects from wildfire smoke, including: 

• Heart disease
• Lung disease, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Understand the health risks of breathing wildfire smoke

Wildfire smoke contains contaminants that can harm your health:

• Fine particles
• Gases
• Heavy metals
• Other toxic chemical compounds

Wildfire smoke can affect the lungs, heart and other organs. 

• Breathing smoke can lead to asthma attacks and make COPD or other lung conditions worse. 
• It can also worsen heart failure and increase the risk of heart attacks and death.
• Children and people who are pregnant breathe more and their heart works harder. This makes them more susceptible to the adverse effects of wildfire smoke.

Babies are especially at risk for health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke. If you are pregnant and not breathing well because of the smoke, your baby is not either. In particular, babies could be born early and too small. It is especially important for people who are pregnant to take precautions to limit exposure to wildfire smoke. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Cleaning up smoke damage at home

Wildfire smoke and ash travel long distances and can enter homes through open doors, windows or vents. Although some homes may not be directly impacted by fire damage, smoke, soot and ash may settle on surfaces, impacting our health. 

Wildfire ash is similar to the ash that collects in your fireplace, but it may contain traces of cancer-causing chemicals. Visible pieces of ash are big enough to be kept out of the lungs by the body’s natural defenses in the nose and throat, but when it circulates in the air, it can irritate the skin, nose and throat, and can trigger an attack for people who have asthma. Wildfire ash may contain traces of cancer-causing chemicals and metals. Before plugging in your vacuum, consider these tips on how to clean it up.

• To check for smoke, follow your nose. If there is a noticeable smoke smell, then you likely have some level of smoke damage
• Do a wipe test with a clean pair of gloves and a wet wipe to check for the presence of soot or ash. Depending on the thickness of dust, you may decide if a professional cleaning service is needed.

Health experts recommend:

• Put on pants, long sleeves, an N95 respirator and gloves before you begin cleaning.
• Avoid releasing ash into the air: 
  • Gently sweep ash from the floors and follow with a wet mop.
  • Use vacuums with a HEPA filter
• Use a damp cloth to wipe ash from household surfaces.
• Wipe off children’s toys.
• Wash any fruits and vegetables from your garden before eating them.
• Wash the family pets.
• Take your vehicles to a local car wash to avoid scratching the paint.

Light damage: No visible soot or ash, but some smoke odor. 

• For light damage, the resident can complete the four basic steps: 
  • Ventilate: open doors and windows if the air quality is good.
  • Filter: replace dirty filters with new filters. 
  • Absorb: Place activated charcoal bags or containers throughout the home to absorb smoke odors. 
  • Clean: Wash absorbent materials such as linens or fabrics.
• For moderate or heavy damage, see the Federal Emergency Management Agency checklist and the Oregon Wildfire Response and Recovery page for more detailed steps and recommendations.

Wear a mask if you have to go outside 

Going outside when smoke is in the air is not recommended. If you have to go outside, protect your health and wear a mask or respirator. 

Oregon Health Authority recommends wearing a mask/respirator with:

• An N, P or R designation
• An efficiency rating of 95, 99 or 100

Avoid the following kinds of face coverings, as they have not been shown to prevent smoke exposure:

• Surgical masks
• Bandana
• Common dust masks
• Cloth or towel
• KN95 masks/respirators (no longer recommended to protect from smoke exposure)

Take care of your mental health

Smoke exposure can increase stress and harm mental health. 

For support, call the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for:

• Crisis counseling for people in emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster
• Information on how to recognize distress and its effects on individuals and families
• Tips for healthy coping

You can also visit the EPA's Coping with the Stress of Wildfire Smoke resource.  

Additional resources 

Wildfire Smoke and Your Health (OHA)