It's wildfire season — know how to protect your health and the environment

Remember last summer when it seemed like the air would never clear up? This summer, be prepared if smoke from wildfires affects your community. Wildfire smoke is made up of gases and particulate matter that can be dangerous when inhaled. Carbon monoxide is risky to people who live and work near smoldering areas. 

Recent warm and dry weather melted last winter's snowpack faster than normal. Even though we had a healthy amount of snow, rapid melting means there is less water to supply our rivers and streams. Below normal streamflows are expected this summer and wildfire risk is high.

Burn bans

Where you live determines who calls burn bans. When wildfire danger is high, the Department of Natural Resources will declare a fire-safety burn ban on state lands. Local fire districts will restrict burning in city limits and unincorporated areas, while the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will call burn bans on tribal lands.

If you see someone burning illegally, or if you are being impacted by smoke, report it!

Be “air aware” and have an emergency plan

Check the Washington Air Quality Advisory (WAQA) and Washington Smoke Information web pages to stay informed about air quality and smoke events. The WAQA uses color-coded categories to show when air quality is good, moderate, or unhealthy. In the event your community is affected by a wildfire, have an emergency plan ready, watch for alerts, and follow evacuation orders.

 

How to tell if smoke is affecting you

Even if you are healthy smoke can affect you by causing:

• Watery or dry eyes.
• Lung and sinus irritation.
• Coughing, phlegm.
• Shortness of breath and wheezing.
• Headaches.
• Irregular heartbeat, chest pain, or fatigue.
• Nonfatal and fatal heart attacks.

 

Some people are more sensitive to smoke

Symptoms may be worse for people with pre-existing health conditions. If you are in one of the groups below seek medical attention if your condition worsens.

• People with lung diseases and respiratory infections.
• People with existing heart or circulatory problems.
• People with a prior history of heart attack or stroke.
• People with diabetes.
• Infants and children under 18.
• Adults over age 65.
• Pregnant women.
• People who smoke.

 

Protect yourself and your animals from smoke

If you are indoors:

• Don’t smoke cigarettes, use candles, wood stoves, or vacuums, and don’t burn incense.
• Keep windows and doors closed. Blow a fan directly on you to keep cool.
• Use a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to reduce indoor air pollution.
• Set your air conditioner to recirculate.

If you are outdoors:

• If you are in a sensitive group, reconsider any outdoor activities.
• If you must be outdoors, use an N95 respirator mask. These masks filter 95 percent of smoke particles, but they do not protect from toxic gases. Wet towels and bandanas do not provide protection from particulate matter. Respirator masks can’t protect if they don’t fit, so children and men with beards may not benefit from a mask. If you are in a sensitive group, check with your doctor before using a mask.
• Protect your eyes by wearing goggles.
• Don’t mow your yard, fill up your gas tank, or do any strenuous activity until the air is clear.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Keep car windows rolled up and set your AC to recirculate.
• When possible, leave the area.
  

If you raise animals:

• Reduce their time spent in smoky areas.
• Provide them with plenty of water.
• Limit activities that will increase their breathing.
• If your pet or livestock is coughing or having difficulty breathing, contact your veterinarian.

 

Get relief from symptoms

If you are in one of the sensitive groups, contact your health care provider if your symptoms worsen. Most healthy people can get relief by:

• Using artificial tear drops for itchy eyes.
• Drinking plenty of water and running a humidifier for a scratchy throat.
• Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever for headaches. 

What you can do

There are many ways you can help prevent wildfires. Seventy-five percent of wildfires are caused by humans.

• Put campfires out completely.
• Follow burn bans. 
• Don't burn yard waste on windy days.
• Don't throw cigarette butts out your window. 
• Keep the perimeter around your property clear.

By Kim Vaughn / Air Quality Communications

We’ve come a long way baby … celebrating 50 years of the Clean Air Act

(This is the first post of a three-part series)

 

It’s an exciting year for Washington. We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Washington Clean Air Act! 

Since its inception, the act has helped protect human health, the environment, and serves as the basis for state and local air pollution rules. The Washington Clean Air Act allowed the state to appoint and authorize local clean air agencies to regulate air pollution.

Before Ecology and the local clean air agencies were formed, the state was dealing with dense smoke, flying rocks and mud, and large particulate matter coming out of smokestacks from industrial facilities. Air pollution was so bad it created visibility hazards on the roads and foul odors in cities of all sizes. 

“Imagine hanging your white sheets outside to dry and coming home to find them covered in mud droplets, or your car covered in soot,” said longtime Environmental Engineer, Alan Newman. 

Industry had old inefficient boilers that would spit out harmful, black, carbon-filled smoke. Factories and other industrial facilities had limited or nonexistent emission control technology and the regulations weren’t in place to ensue clean air. 

Newman explained how sulfur dioxide was released directly into the air from agriculture dehydration facilities and how exposure to the chemicals would turn green vegetables white. Luckily, in the early 1980s industries upgraded their equipment so the chemicals were no longer released into the air.

Newman saw firsthand how air pollution was affecting our communities. He was there. It was significant enough that people throughout the entire country took notice of air quality. They grew weary of these problems and reached out to the federal government and their legislators for help.

Ironically, immense smoke from a slash burn found its way through an open window during a legislative meeting in Olympia, Washington. This dramatic event demonstrated just how serious air quality issues were and prompted the legislators to take action. As a result of citizen concerns, and their own experience with the smoke, Ecology was created in 1970.

What causes air pollution?

Air pollution is caused from a variety of sources that we all contribute to. Some of the sources are:

• Emissions from vehicles, ships, trains, and airplanes.
• Emissions from construction equipment.
• Campfires, forest fires, and agricultural burning.
• Cooking, BBQ, and wood-burning stoves.
• Solvent-based cleaning supplies.
• Blowing dust, soot, ash, etc.
• Commercial and industrial facilities like factories, restaurants, and dry cleaners.

Sending the air pollution message

Sharing the importance of healthy air is a priority Ecology and local clean air agencies have in common. The anniversary is a great opportunity to learn about why protecting our air is important. You can learn more about our state’s air quality history by visiting wacleanair50.org, participating in a local poster contest, visiting an Ecology booth at a community event, or following social media pages. 

Check back with us soon for part two of this three-part series where we’ll explain what air pollution does to the environment and your health. 

Part 2: The best solution is less pollution … 50 years of the Clean Air Act
Part 3: A breath of fresh air ...50 years of the Clean Air Act

 By Kim Allen | Air Quality

wacleanair50.org