JACKSON, Wyo. — Wildfire season has arrived ahead of schedule this summer.

Last year, in the midst of the Pack Trail Fire, the Teton County Health Department shared some pointers for mitigating the health effects of wildfire smoke. Revisit these tips as the Horse Fire blazes on.

“Everyone should avoid prolonged outdoor exercise when the air quality index, AQI, exceeds 200 and our local air is ‘Very Unhealthy’ or ‘Hazardous’ as defined by AirNow,” Teton District Health Officer Dr. Travis Riddell, MD, MPH, said in a statement. “Those at-risk should be especially careful in limiting their smoke exposure.”

At-risk individuals include those with pre-existing heart and respiratory conditions, including allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Seniors and children are more vulnerable to the effects of smoke.

When wildfire smoke is present, follow these suggestions to keep indoor air as clean as possible:

  • Try to keep windows and doors closed.
  • Set up a portable air cleaner or filter.
  • Keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean when running an air conditioner.
  • Seek shelter elsewhere if an air conditioner is not available and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed.
  • When smoke levels are high, do not use anything that burns, such as candles, fireplaces or gas stoves.
  • Do not vacuum, because vacuuming stirs up particles already inside the home.
  • Do not smoke, because it increases a person’s total exposure to particulate matter in the air.
  • For those who must be outdoors for prolonged periods, a well-fitting “respirator” type face mask (such as an N-95) could reduce particulate exposure. Lesser face masks are unlikely to be effective in filtering the smallest (< 2.5 micron), most damaging particles.

Check local air quality using AirNow.Gov. See the health department’s website for further information.