How wildfire smoke can affect your health in the short and long term

Toxic chemicals stay in the air for a long time

Toxic particles can end up in our bloodstream

A big increase in deaths from wildfire smoke exposure

Wildfire aftermath

In the aftermath of the devastating LA wildfires, some people, whose homes have been spared from the flames, are returning to clean them, according to a CNN report.

Health risks

However, experts have warned about the health risks of doing so without proper protection, as the smoke and ashes left by fires can damage our health when they come into contact with our lungs, eyes and skin.

Health emergency declared in LA

In fact, Los Angeles Public Health has declared a local health emergency for the entire county due to the fires that prohibits the use of air blowers, such as leaf blowers.

Toxic chemicals stay in the air for a long time

This is because wildfires not only burn grass and trees but cars, buildings and other structures that release toxic chemicals that can stay in the air for a long time after the fire has subsided.

Unsafe particles filter inside homes

The unsafe particles left by the fires can filter inside homes, even if these were not directly impacted, the national director of the American Lung Association told CNN.

A revealing study

One such example can be seen in a 2024 study on the Marshall Fire in the Boulder, Colorado area, which found elevated levels of metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ash, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air samples inside people’s homes.

Toxic particles can end up in our bloodstream

These toxic particles are so tiny that they can end up in our bloodstream just by breathing them in, Craig Czarnecki, coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Air Management Program told TIME magazine.

Associated with cancer

At least one VOC, benzene, is known to cause cancer and exposure to PAHs is also associated with increased cancer incidence, according to the World Health Organization.

A big increase in deaths from wildfire smoke exposure

A paper in the National Bureau of Economic Research found that, as climate change increases the prevalence and intensity of wildfires, wildfire smoke exposure could lead to nearly 28,000 deaths a year by 2050, a 76% increase from estimated average deaths between 2011 and 2020.

Short-term symptoms

While a healthy person can experience symptoms such as a scratchy throat and itchy eyes, animals, children, older people, and people with pre-existing heart or respiratory conditions, could have more serious symptoms, experts say.

Symptoms for vulnerable populations

According to David Brown, an air quality meteorologist, vulnerable populations can get asthma symptoms, as well as bronquitis and heart palpitations, or see their normal symptoms exacerbated, he told TIME.

Pregnant people

Moreover, pregnant people are also considered vulnerable, as the smoke inhalation can result in “adverse perinatal outcomes”, according to a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and gynecology.

How to protect yourself

The US Environmental Protection Agency recommends using an air cleaner or high-efficiency filter to remove fine particles from the air if you have one, while keeping the windows and doors closed, at least until the air quality improves.

Activities to avoid while indoors

The EPA also advices people to avoid activities that create more particles indoors, such as vaping, smoking, frying or boiling food, burning candles and vacuming, unless done with an HEPA filter.

Wearing proper protection

When cleaning, the agency suggests people wear gloves, goggles, long sleeves and long pants and socks to protect skin, and use a N95 or a P100 respirator mask to keep from breathing in ash, as well as changing clothes after leaving a clean-up site so ash doesn’t move to other locations.

Removing ash from skin ASAP

Moreover, ash should be washed off the skin as quickly as possible, the EPA says. Same goes for pets: their paws should be washed if they walk through it, as they are more susceptible to getting sick.

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