Health Tip: Protect Yourself From Wildfire Smoke Exposure

(HealthDay News) -- When a wildfire burns nearby, gases and fine particles fill the air. This pollution can irritate your eyes and lungs, and worsen chronic diseases such as asthma.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions for dealing with smoke from a nearby wildfire:

  • Monitor local air quality reports.
  • Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible.
  • Don't worsen indoor air quality by burning candles, smoking, or using fireplaces or gas stoves.
  • Talk to your doctor about what you can do to protect yourself from breathing problems.
  • Don't trust paper masks commonly sold at hardware stores to protect you from fine debris and gases in the air. These masks are made for bigger particles, such as sawdust.

    • Date Published: 07/12/2012

    Related Articles

    Search Articles

    Sleepy Nurses Vulnerable To Common Cold, Other Infectious Diseases

    Is It a Cold, Flu or COVID? An Expert Helps You Sort It Out

    Saltwater Drops in Nose Could Shorten Kids' Colds

    How To Fight Common Wintertime Respiratory Viruses

    Can Zinc Really Shorten a Cold?

    What You Need to Know About FluMist, the Nasal Flu Vaccine

    CDC Urges Faster Testing for Bird Flu Amid Growing Outbreak

    Moderna Announces Good Results From Trial of Combo COVID/Flu Vaccine

    This Season's Flu Vaccine Cuts Risk of Hospitalization by Almost 35%

    Scientists Developing mRNA-Based Vaccine Against H5N1 Bird Flu