Ways to Mitigate the Effects of Wildfires on Air Quality

Wildfires Causing Worst Air Quality: What Can We Do?

By Jane Marsh

More extreme temperatures are causing more natural disasters globally, including wildfires that do more than burn trees and structures. Polluted air is an unfortunate byproduct of rampant fires, causing humans to breathe potentially harmful particles and affecting health and safety. Here are some of the best ways we can act against worsening air quality caused by wildfires.

Increase Awareness of Air Quality

Though conversations surrounding air quality have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a different facet of the discussion. Creating pure air for humans to breathe requires various methods and tools depending on the contaminants – ash needs different strategies than viruses.

It’s critical to broaden the air quality conversation to include the health side effects of wildfires. These include but are not limited to:

• Asthma
• Respiratory illness
• Coughing
• Dizziness
• Lung disease
• Vision disruptions
• Nasal blockages

Though the air is intangible, its effects on human health – including those who are pregnant – are only part of the equation. Air quality negatively affected by wildfires can also impact biodiversity, causing the same health concerns in animals.

The weight of airborne contaminants could physically stunt plant growth or shield them from photosynthesizing properly. It could also coat waterways with soot, influencing the breathing capabilities of aquatic life.

Awareness of air quality will also help combat the adverse effects of climate change, many of which contribute to the increase in wildfires. The more awareness humans have about the issue’s scope, the better chance we have of taking unified and comprehensive action.

Educate on Wildfire Starters

There are plenty of wildfire catalysts – both human-made and natural influences. Humans can cause wildfires through inadequate waste disposal, or dry leaves in a forest could catch fire if sun rays make them spark.

These are only a few examples of what can start fires. If more people are educated on the incredible variety of causes, it could encourage more efficient monitoring methods and adjustments to human habits, including:

• Lightning strikes
• Campfires
• Arson
• Vehicle malfunctions
• Fireworks
• Incinerators
• Hay baling

Education often leads to advocacy, and air quality control and management need faster change. Because wildfires don’t occur as frequently as other natural disasters, communities – especially smaller ones – have issues receiving funding for adequate supplies during emergencies.

More education also creates a better chance for local air agencies to expand their responsibilities. Their current job is to find the source of fires and protect citizens from the toxic air. Eventually, it could include monitoring or purification.

Laws aren’t comprehensive enough and regulations are not standardized enough to provide adequate advice for all circumstances, such as how less densely populated areas are supposed to obtain resources to alleviate their situation.

Take Action for Proper Health and Safety

Wildfires often occur in warmer, drier climates like the west coast of the United States. Soot and other contaminants can increase the temperature in the affected areas. This coincides with more widespread air conditioning usage. However, excess air conditioning isn’t advised if the air is heavily polluted from a recent wildfire.

This could cause a severe reduction in indoor air quality, allowing it to contaminate everything from food to cleaning surfaces. There are a few supplies to mitigate these effects, including MERV 13+ air filters and CARB-certified air purification systems. Other best practices include closing all doors and windows and avoiding the use of gas-powered appliances.

Particulate matter (PM) causes the greatest concern because its size is hard to filter without proper technology and causes the most damage to human health. Knowing this matter exists, even if it’s impossible to see, can help citizens understand the dangers more thoroughly.

Other DIY solutions include putting damp cloths on small openings to catch the particulates or covering areas with duct tape.

Knowing where to access updated information about local air quality is also essential. Officials will publicize and update the local air quality index (AQI) to indicate when it’s safe to travel outside. This index gives air quality a score out of 100, with 0 being the safest for outdoor engagement and 100 the worst, where everyone should remain indoors.

In worst-case scenarios where you feel in danger – even indoors – N95 masks provide the best protection that other technology cannot offer.

Mitigate the Effects of Wildfires on Air Quality

To react appropriately to air pollution caused by wildfires, society has to take action to reduce its effects. Increasing awareness about air quality and informing the populace about which human influences cause wildfires will create a strong foundation.

It’s not practical to assume humans can entirely eliminate wildfires, so these actions must complement environmentally sound health and safety precautions so responses to emergencies are productive and create as safe an environment for humans to breathe in as possible.

Author Bio:

Jane works as the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she covers environmental news and sustainable living tips.