The Weber-Morgan Health Department encourages everyone to monitor local air quality and take action when smoke levels rise. Small steps today can make a big difference in protecting your health until cleaner air returns. When wildfire smoke moves into our communities, it’s more than just an inconvenience—it can affect your health, even if the fire is miles away. Smoke contains tiny particles that can irritate your eyes and lungs, make it harder to breathe, and worsen conditions like asthma, heart disease, and COPD.
The good news is that a few simple steps can help reduce your exposure and protect you and your family during smoky days.
Stay Indoors: When air quality is poor, spend as much time indoors as possible. Keep windows and doors closed to prevent smoke from entering your home. If you need to go outside, try to limit the amount of time you’re exposed, especially during periods when the air quality is at its worst.
Use Your Thermostat’s “Recirculate” Setting: If you have central heating or air conditioning, switch your system to the “recirculate” setting. This helps keep smoky outdoor air from being pulled into your home while continuously filtering the air already inside. If your system uses replaceable filters, make sure they’re clean and changed regularly.
Air Purifiers Can Help: A portable air purifier with a HEPA filter can significantly improve indoor air quality by removing fine smoke particles from the air. Even creating one “clean air room” in your home can make a big difference, especially for children, older adults, and anyone with heart or lung conditions.
Avoid Strenuous Outdoor Activity: Exercise causes you to breathe more deeply and take in more smoke particles. When air quality is unhealthy, postpone activities like running, biking, yard work, or outdoor sports until conditions improve.
Stay Up on Emergency Notices: Emergency evacuations are common during wildfire season and it’s most important that you stay uptodate on evergency notifications issued by the city, county or state where you live.
Check on Friends, Family, and Neighbors: Some members of our community are more vulnerable to wildfire smoke, including older adults, young children, pregnant people, and individuals with heart or lung disease. A quick phone call or visit can make a meaningful difference. Make sure they have a safe place to stay, understand current air quality conditions, and have the supplies they need.
Tags: wildfiresmoke airquality