Prepare for Fire Season

Before a Wildfi re

If you live in an area where the wildfi re risk is high, take steps now to prepare for fi re season. Being 

prepared for fi re season is especially important for the health of children, older adults, and people with 

heart or lung disease. 

• Ask an air conditioning professional what kind 

of high effi ciency fi lters to use in your home’s 

system and how to close the fresh-air intake if 

your central air system or room air conditioner 

has one.

• Have a supply of N95 respirators and learn 

how to use them. They are sold at many home 

improvement stores and online.

• Organize your important items ahead of time, 

including fi nancial and personal documents. 

Know your evacuation routes and where to go if 

you have to evacuate. Make sure to prepare your 

children, and consider your pets when making 

an evacuation plan. 

WILDFIRE SMOKE FACTSHEET

• If any family member has heart or lung 

disease, including asthma, check with your 

doctor about what you should do during smoke 

events. Have a plan to manage your condition.

• Stock up so you don’t have to go out when 

it’s smoky. Have several days of medications 

on hand. Buy groceries that do not need to be 

refrigerated or cooked because cooking can add 

to indoor air pollution.

• Create a “clean room” in your home. Choose 

a room with no fi replace and as few windows 

and doors as possible, such as a bedroom. Use a 

portable air cleaner in the room.

• Buy a portable air cleaner before there is a 

smoke event. Make sure it has high effi ciency 

HEPA fi lters and it is the right size for the room.

• Know how you will get alerts and health 

warnings, including air quality reports, public 

service announcements (PSAs), and social media 

warning you about high fi re risk or an active fi re.
• Follow instructions from local offi cials to keep

yourself and your family safe.

• Stay inside with the doors and windows closed. Run

your air conditioner with the fresh-air intake closed

(“recirculate mode”) to keep smoke from getting

indoors. Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have an

air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with

the windows closed.

• Follow your health care provider’s advice if

you have heart or lung disease, and follow your

management plan if you have one. If your symptoms

worsen, reduce your exposure to smoke and contact

your provider.

• Do not add to indoor air pollution. Do not burn

candles or use gas, propane, wood-burning stoves,

fi replaces, or aerosol sprays. Do not fry or broil meat,

smoke tobacco products, or vacuum. All of these can

increase air pollution indoors.

• Use a portable air cleaner to reduce indoor air

pollution. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions

on where to put the air cleaner and when to

replace the fi lters.

During a Wildfi re

• Reduce how much smoke you inhale. If it

looks or smells smoky outside, avoid strenuous

activities such as mowing the lawn or going for a

run. Wait until air quality is better before you are

active

outdoors.

• Pay attention to local air quality reports and

health warnings. Smoke levels can vary a lot

during the day, so you may have a chance to do

errands and open up windows when air quality

is better. Public service announcements give

you important information such as changing

conditions, cancelled events, or evacuation

notices.

• Do not rely on dust masks or bandanas for

protection from smoke. An N95 respirator can

protect you if it fi ts snugly to your face and is worn

properly. These are not recommended for children.

• Reduce smoke in your vehicle by closing the

windows and vents and running the air conditioner

in recirculate mode. Slow down when you drive in

smoky conditions.

• Get air quality information: Check your local news, the airnow.gov website, or your state air quality agency’s

website.

• Learn about home air cleaners: https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/guide-air-cleaners-home

• Find certifi ed air cleaning devices: http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/indoor/aircleaners/certifi ed.htm

• Learn how to use an N95 respirator mask: http://www.bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/Documents/Protect%20

Your%20Lungs%20Respirator.pdf

• Learn more about wildfi re smoke: How Smoke from Fires Can Aff ect Your Health: https://airnow.gov/index.

cfm?action=smoke.index

For more information: 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · EPA- 452/F-18-001