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canada's wildfires: what you can do to protect your health

with wildfires burning across the country, it's vital to know what you can do to limit your risk of developing chronic health disorders or ill health effects because of smoke inhalation.

by angelica bottaro

aug 14 2024

5 minute read

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wearing a mask is one of the best ways to protect yourself against wildfires when you have to leave your home. you want to find masks with specific ratings, which are better at keeping fine particles out. getty images

from coast to coast, there are 932 active wildfires. of those active fires, over half are out of control, leaving residents in nearby areas to contend with high levels of smoke and co2, uncertain of where they’ll go if things take a turn for the worse, and adverse health effects from living close to uncontrolled wildfires.

while breathing in wildfire smoke is especially harmful for older adults, children, and those living with chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, and copd, the pollutants found in the air in the areas surrounding these fires can be a danger to even the healthiest of people.

wildfires and the health dangers

the high levels of co2 in the air around wildfires contain carbon monoxide, a toxic and asphyxiant gas that is both colourless and odourless. it is mainly a threat to people who are in close proximity to the fires. when a person inhales harmful co2, the level of oxygen in the body becomes depleted, leading to various ill effects, including:

headaches
nausea
dizziness

in the worst cases, high levels of co2 inhalation can lead to death.

particle pollution, a mixture of liquid and solid particles in the air can cause other issues. when these fine particles, known as pm2.5 or ultrafine particles, make their way into the lungs, they can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, and strokes, leading to death in some cases. they can also be absorbed into the bloodstream, allowing them to freely travel to organs and tissues, causing damage.

newer research on the ill effects of wildfires has also found a connection between inhaling these gases and smoke and dementia risk. those who live near wildfires and breathe in these toxic substances for a period of three years increase their risk of developing dementia later in life by roughly 21 per cent.

among the new studies done on the effects of wildfires, they have also been tied to the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd), a mental disorder that occurs following traumatic events.

other possible long-term effects of exposure to wildfire smoke include:

low birth weight
increased risk for heart disease
inflammation and damage to brain cells
cognitive decline

what you can do to protect yourself

while people living in regions close to wildfires are often stuck, unable to simply pack up and move away, that doesn’t mean that they have to accept their fate of possibly developing health issues related to the smoke and pollutants in the air.

these are the things you can do to protect yourself and your family against the harmful effects of inhaling wildfire smoke.

pay special attention to the air inside your home

you cannot control what’s going on outside your home, and there’s not much that can be done about these wildfires that officials are not already handling. but just because you have little control over the raging fires doesn’t mean you can’t protect the air inside your home to reduce your risk of developing adverse health effects.

if you live near a wildfire hotspot, you should aim to keep the air inside your home as clean and free of pollutants as possible. that means keeping all your windows and doors closed and sealing off any openings that lead to the outdoors, such as vents. this will keep the smoke from entering your home.

if you use an air conditioner in the summer months, it’s also important to ensure that it’s set to recirculate rather than fresh-air intake. using an air purifier is another viable way to keep wildfire smoke particles outside of your home.

monitor your indoor air quality

once you have ensured that your indoor air is up to par and safe for inhalation in a wildfire zone, you should continuously monitor it for any changes. you can use an air quality monitor that specifically looks for pm2.5 and co2 in the air, allowing you to see in real-time whether or not you need to make any changes to your air filtration system or close off any drafts that are bringing outdoor air into your house.

there are also apps that can keep track of various pollutants in wildfire areas, making it easier than ever to stay on top of the air inside and outside of your home.

only go outside if you have to

staying in your home 24/7 isn’t always viable, but if you don’t have to travel outside or spend time outdoors, don’t. by staying inside, you reduce the amount of pollutants you inhale, thus minimizing risk.

there are also car air purifiers you can buy that will keep the pollutants from entering your vehicle when you’re driving from point a to point b.

avoid things that can make matters worse

burning candles or using your fireplace shouldn’t be done when dealing with wildfire smoke in your area. while it doesn’t seem like those activities would do much in the way of harmful pollutants, they can add fuel to the fire, so to speak, making your indoor air less safe for you to breathe in.

vacuuming can also be an aggravator unless you have a high-performance hepa-certified vacuum. otherwise, your cleaning routine could lead to your recirculating pollutants and allergens up in the air, where they can make their way into your lungs and bloodstream.

wear an appropriate mask when outside

wearing a mask is one of the best ways to protect yourself against wildfires when you have to leave your home. that said, not just any mask will do. surgical masks and cloth masks, which were often used during the covid-19 pandemic, offer little to no protection against wildfire smoke pollutants.

you want to find masks with specific ratings, which are better at keeping fine particles out. those ratings include:

n95
kn95
n100
ffp2
p100

you can find these types of masks at specialized stores in canada but always check for the certified rating before purchasing.

avoid strenuous activities where possible

working out, walking, jogging, and the like are all typically good for your health, but when you live in an area with a lot of wildfire pollution, these activities may do more harm than good. this is because the heavier you breathe, the more air you will suck into your lungs. heavy breathing will cause you to ingest more fine particles if the air is full of pollutants.

to ensure that you’re still getting exercise, you can engage in indoor exercises or workouts in areas with clean air, such as a home gym. some public gyms may also have good indoor air quality if located near wildfires but inquire beforehand to ensure it’s safe to exercise there.

it’s hard to find an area of canada that isn’t threatened by wildfire pollution right now. still, if you can protect yourself adequately from inhaling harmful pollutants, you can reduce your risk of developing adverse health events caused by wildfire smoke inhalation.

angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

canada's wildfires: what you can do to protect your health