Guide to Removing Smoke Damage: The purpose of this document is to provide recommendations to homeowners for pre-wildfire
measures to help reduce the risk of smoke damage and do-it-yourself (DIY) steps that homeowners
can take to remediate light to moderate smoke damage.
Work with your livestock veterinarian, in the meantime keep track feeding habits. Not eating or going off-feed is an indicator of possible pain or sickness.
Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) can occur. Livestock that has inhaled hot gases may have a cough and frothy material discharging from the nose. If you see these symptoms in your animals, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Plan to give livestock 4 to 6 weeks to recuperate after the air quality returns to normal. Attempting to handle, move, or transport livestock may delay healing and compromise your animals’ performance.
For more information visit:
Caring for livestock after a wildfire (wa.gov) and
Wildfire smoke and animals | American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org).
Exposure to smoke from fires can cause or worsen several health problems that range from minor to severe. When smoke is present, the worst symptoms more often occur in people with chronic conditions, though everyone can have symptoms or health problems. Some symptoms include:
- Eye, nose, and throat irritation (burning eyes and runny nose).
- Fatigue.
- Headache and coughing.
- Wheezing and shortness of breath.
- Aggravation of existing conditions, particularly heart and lung diseases, with symptoms like asthma attacks, chest pain, or irregular heartbeat.
- Mental health concerns and psychological stress.
Seek medical attention when experiencing severe symptoms, such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, during wildfire smoke events and in the week after.
Inhaling smoke is harmful to everyone. It's essential to reduce exposure and monitor symptoms during smoke events. Minor symptoms like sore throats and headaches are common with lower smoke levels, but as levels increase, especially for sensitive groups, health impacts can become severe. Those at higher risk include:
- Individuals with lung diseases (e.g., asthma, COPD)
- People with recent respiratory infections (e.g., COVID-19, pneumonia)
- Those with heart or circulatory problems (e.g., heart failure, coronary artery disease)
- People with a history of heart attack or stroke
- Diabetics, due to potential undiagnosed cardiovascular issues
- Children (18 and younger) with developing lungs
- Seniors (65 and older) with potential undiagnosed heart or lung diseases
- Pregnant individuals and their fetuses
- Smokers with likely reduced lung function
- Outdoor workers with prolonged smoke exposure
- People of color and indigenous groups facing institutional and structural discrimination
- Those with limited healthcare access
- Stay updated on air quality Interactive Maps (wa.gov)
- Limit outdoor physical keep activities light.
- Stay indoors with cleaner air:
- Close windows and doors unless it's too hot (see cooling tips below).
- Use HVAC systems and HEPA air cleaners, or DIY filters (see filtration tips below).
- Avoid adding to indoor pollution:
- No burning candles, incense, or wood.
- Avoid sprays, diffused oils, and air fresheners.
- Limit broiling, frying, and using gas stoves.
- No smoking or vaping indoors.
- Only vacuum with HEPA filters; avoid sweeping.
- Set HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Avoid gas or propane heaters.
- Create a cleaner air room (see EPA video).
- During better air quality periods, open windows and fresh air intake.
- If home air quality is poor, seek cleaner air elsewhere.
- If outside briefly, consider wearing a fitted N95 mask Wildfire Smoke and Face Masks Factsheet (wa.gov)
- Follow your healthcare provider’s advice if you have asthma or other lung diseases.
Keeping cool without air conditioning during smoky, hot weather can be challenging. Heat-related illnesses can develop quickly and be life-threatening. Here are some tips:
- Close windows, curtains, and shades during the day; use portable fans.
- Minimize stove and oven use during peak heat.
- Take cool baths or showers but avoid extreme temperature changes.
- Use ice packs, cool water foot baths, wet rags, or misting near a fan.
- Stay hydrated with water; avoid sugary or alcoholic drinks.
- Visit cooler indoor places for a few hours; call 211 for cooling centers.
- Track air quality and open windows when it improves.
- Only open windows when it's cooler outside and create cross-drafts if possible.
- For more details, see the handout " Cooling indoor spaces without air conditioning (wa.gov)" (PDF).
- To check your area's current and forecasted heat risk and find suggestion precautions, see CDC's HeatRisk.
For information about preventing heat-related illness, follow DOH's hot weather safety guidance or CDC's Preventing Heat-Related Illness.
When avoiding hazardous smoke from fires, including wildfires, is not possible, N95 masks can offer some protection by filtering out most fine particles, though they don't block hazardous gases like carbon monoxide. These masks are available at hardware stores, home repair shops, and pharmacies. Proper fit and seal are essential for effective protection, so it's crucial to wear them correctly.
Masks are less effective for people with beards or facial hair, as they don't seal well. N95 masks aren't suitable for very young children and haven't been widely tested for them. Masks can make breathing harder, so individuals with lung or heart disease, or chronic illnesses should consult a healthcare provider before use. For more information, Wildfire Smoke and Face Masks Factsheet (wa.gov)
In indoor spaces where you can't keep windows closed or filter air, wearing an N95 mask for short periods can help if smoke levels are high, such as on public transportation or in public buildings. https://youtu.be/ctDtPzgSMiU
Children and youth are more sensitive to health effects from breathing in smoke because they breathe in more air than adults for their body weight. This increases their total dose of air pollution. The respiratory system also develops until about age 21. Children and youth with health conditions (including asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, and diabetes) have a higher risk of emergency department visits and hospitalizations compared to children without health conditions.
Children and youth may also be at risk for declines in academic performance, neurodevelopmental problems, and chronic conditions in adulthood from air pollution exposure.
Parents:
Schools:
Find additional technical guidance and risk communication resources for public health, air quality, and other officials in the Wildfire Smoke Partner Toolkit.
Smoke can affect animals’ health too. Animals with cardiovascular or respiratory disease are at increased risk from smoke and should be watched during periods of poor air quality. Look for the following signs of possible smoke irritation in animals. If your animals are experiencing any of these signs, contact your veterinarian.
- Coughing or gagging.
- Difficulty breathing, including open mouth breathing and increased noise when breathing or increased breathing rate.
- Eye irritation or redness and excessive watering.
- Nasal discharge.
- Fatigue or weakness.
- Disorientation or stumbling.
- Reduced appetite and/or thirst.
For pets:
- Keep them indoors as much as possible and avoid outdoor exercise. Keep outdoor bathroom breaks short.
- Spend time with them indoors and play games with them to keep them mentally and physically active.
- Pet birds are particularly sensitive to smoke and poor air quality and should avoid any outdoor exposure.
For more information, see Protect Your Pets from Wildfire Smoke, EPA (PDF).
For livestock:
- Limit their exercise and have plenty of fresh water always available, located near their feed or hay.
- Consider soaking hay to reduce inhalation of dust particles that might further irritate the airways.
- Limit dust exposure by feeding low-dust or dust-free feeds and sprinkling or misting the livestock holding area.
- Livestock may need several weeks to recover after a poor air quality event. Talk to your veterinarian about how to best monitor your animals and when to return to exercise, handling, moving, or transporting them.
For more information, see Protect Your Large Animals and Livestock from Wildfire Smoke (PDF).