WILDFIRE SMOKE FACTSHEET 

Reduce Your Smoke Exposure 

When wildfres create smoky conditions, there are things you can do, indoors and out, to reduce your 

exposure to smoke. Reducing exposure is important for everyone’s health — especially children, 

older adults, and people with heart or lung disease. 

Reduce smoke exposure indoors 

• Stay inside with the doors and windows 

closed. Whether you have a central air 

conditioning system or a room unit, use high 

efciency flters to capture fne particles 

from smoke. Ask an air conditioning 

professional what type of high efciency 

flter your air conditioner can accept. 

• Seek shelter elsewhere if you do not have 

an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay 

inside with the windows closed. 

• Do not add to indoor air pollution. Do not 

burn candles or use gas, propane, woodburning stoves, freplaces, 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. Make sure it is sized for the 

room and that it does not make ozone, 

which is a harmful air pollutant. Portable air 

cleaners can be used along with efcient 

central air systems with efcient flters to 

maximize the reduction of indoor particles. 

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

a room with no freplace and as few windows 

and doors as possible, such as a bedroom. 

Use a portable air cleaner in the room. 

• Have a supply of N95 respirators and learn 

how to use them. They are sold at many 

home improvement stores and online. 

• Long-term smoke events usually have 

periods when the air is better. When air 

quality improves, even temporarily, air out 

your home to reduce indoor air pollution. 

Use a portable air cleaner to reduce

indoor air pollution
 

Reduce smoke exposure outdoors 

• Take it easier during smoky times to

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.

• Know your air quality. Smoke levels can

change a lot during the day, so wait until

air quality is better before you are active

outdoors. Check your state or local air

quality agency’s website or airnow.gov for

air quality forecasts and current air quality

conditions. On AirNow, you can also sign up

to get email notifcations, download an air

quality app, or check current fre conditions.

In addition, some communities have visual

range programs where you can assess smoke

conditions by how far you can see.

• Have enough food and medication on

hand to last several days so you don’t have to

go out for supplies. If you must go out, avoid

the smokiest times of day.

• 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.

• Do not rely on dust masks or bandanas for

protection from smoke. If you must be out

in smoky conditions, an N95 respirator can

protect you, if it fts snugly to your face and is

worn properly.

• Have a plan to evacuate. Know how you

will get alerts and health warnings, including

air quality reports and public service

announcements (PSAs). Public advisories

can provide important information such as

changing smoke conditions and evacuation

notices. Know your evacuation routes,

organize your important items ahead of

time, and know where to go in case you have

to evacuate.

Reduce your risk of health problems: 

• Have enough medication and food (enough for more than 5 days) on hand.

• Follow your health care provider’s advice about what to do if you have heart or lung disease.

• If you have asthma, follow your asthma management plan.

• If you feel sick, reduce your exposure to smoke and contact your health care provider.

• Pay attention to public service announcements, health advisories, and air quality advisories.

For more information: 

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

• Learn how to use an N95 respirator mask: http://www.bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/ResourcesAndLinks/Languages/

Documents/English/ENG_ProtectLungsSmoke7208color.pdf

• Fires — Current Conditions: https://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_wildfires

• Learn more about wildfire smoke: Wildfire Smoke, A Guide for Public Health Officials: 

https://www3.epa.gov/airnow/wildfire_may2016.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · EPA- 452/F-18-003