JACKSON, Wyo. — During summers when wildfire smoke is a frequent issue, such as 2021, Jackson residents and visitors alike often face a dilemma of whether or not it’s safe to exercise outdoors.
As extreme wildfire events have become more common in the Western U.S. in recent years, health researchers have set out to study the effects of long-term smoke exposure on human health. While there is still much research needed to be done on the subject, initial results suggest that wildfire smoke can have long-lasting effects on human health.
In an area such as Jackson Hole where people love to spend time outside, it’s becoming increasingly important to weigh the benefits of outdoor exercise versus the risks of exercising outdoors when smoke is present and air quality is poor.
The best tool to use for monitoring air quality in Jackson Hole and other rural/mountainous areas in the Western U.S. is Purple Air. There are numerous air quality sensors located around the Jackson Hole Valley that update air quality ratings every 10 minutes. Also, these sensors measure particulate matter (PM2.5), which are the type of pollutants contained in wildfire smoke. Generally speaking, air quality ratings of less than 100 are acceptable and ratings of over 100 are unhealthy to some extent.Â
If you don’t have access to air quality measurements, a good rule of thumb is that if you can smell the smoke, you are breathing it in, and should avoid being outside as much as possible.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a useful tool for evaluating air quality levels and the recommended activity levels based on each rating.
When it comes to strenuous and prolonged outdoor exercise such as running, biking, climbing and hiking, research suggests taking an even more conservative approach to the EPA’s ratings, since these activities force you to breathe more through your mouth and inhale more smoke and particulate matter into your lungs at a higher rate.
According to California air pollution researcher Dr. John Balmes, wildfire smoke is “kind of like tobacco smoke without the nicotine” and is 10 times more potent than other air pollution sources such as car exhaust or factories.
In an article for Healthline, Dr. Christine Wiedinmyer, the associate director of the Cooperate Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, recommends playing it safe because we don’t know all of the long-term effects yet, and cautions that running outside during smoky conditions on a regular basis over a long period of time could have major health implications.
Here are the EPA’s Air Quality Ratings with recommended activity levels, and how you can further evaluate it when it comes to strenuous outdoor exercise:
Good (1-50): Air quality is good and there is no risk.
Moderate (51-100): Air quality is acceptable, but some people may experience some issues with long-term exposure. Outdoor exercise is usually ok for most people.
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150): This is considered somewhat of a gray area, but participating in strenuous outdoor exercise does pose a greater health risk – especially over an extended time period – compared to light outdoor activities such as walking or fishing or spending time on the water. Also, more sensitive people such as those with asthma or underlying conditions should avoid spending time outside.
Unhealthy (151-200): The air is unhealthy for everyone, and spending time outdoors should be avoided as much as reasonably possible.
Very Unhealthy (201-300): This is considered a Health Alert, and everyone may experience health issues if spending time outdoors.
Hazardous (301-500): This is considered a Health Warning, and everyone should avoid spending time outside.
What to do when the air quality is poor
Switching from outdoor exercise to indoor exercise is the recommended course of action when the smoke is bad. This could include going to a gym or doing a home workout. Even if you don’t have any exercise equipment, there are plenty of good home exercises you can find on YouTube to stay in shape for outdoor exercise once the air quality improves.
Another concern during smoky periods is keeping the smoke out of your home. Ideally, the best course of action is to shut all doors and windows and run an air conditioner to keep your home cool.
In reality, other than window units in some homes, most homes in Jackson do not have central air conditioning and rely instead on “natural air conditioning” from our cool summer nights.
Since cooling off your home is necessary during the summer, the best course of action is to invest in a high-quality HEPA air filter to help filter out particulate matter from smoke, and to open your doors and windows on a limited basis to cool off your house.
