Fire smoke erodes air quality

By MIKE RICHESON

Bigfork Eagle

We're surrounded.

Smoke from numerous large fires have created a ring around Flathead and Lake counties. The thick haze has kept the Bigfork area covered with a thin layer of ash and other falling debris.

Air warnings released this week have alerted residents that a Stage 1 Alert is in effect. The air quality has become unhealthy for senstive groups. People with respiratory or heart disease, smokers, the elderly and children should limit prolonged exertion outdoors and should try to stay indoors.

Stage 2 warnings range from unhealthy to hazardous levels of poor air quality.

Smoke from wildfires can be a serious health hazard, a state health official said last Thursday.

"Most healthy adults will recover quickly from smoke exposure and won't suffer any long-term consequences," said Dr. Steven Helgerson, state medical officer with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. "But for more sensitive populations, my recommendation is: If you can smell smoke and see smoke, take precautions to limit your exposure."

People who are especially vulnerable when air quality is poor are:

? children, whose lungs are still developing;

? the elderly, whose lungs no longer clear out smoke particles as effectively;

? people with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis;

? people with heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease and pulmonary hypertension; and

? smokers, whose lung function is already compromised.

"For healthier individuals, there's no doubt that the smoke is irritating, but the effects aren't permanent," Helgerson said.

He said studies of forest firefighters have found that they did not suffer any long-term heart or lung problems associated with their exposure to smoky air over the years.

"Still, that doesn't mean healthy people should ignore the smoke and go about business as usual," he added. "Smoky air contains higher levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. This is important because it can impact exercise tolerance. People should be careful not to exert themselves too much when the air quality is poor."

Helgerson noted that people breathe more deeply during exercise, bringing more pollution deeper into their lungs. They also tend to breathe through their mouths, bypassing the natural filtering ability of the nasal passages.

He recommended that children's sports activities be rescheduled or conducted indoors when air quality is poor.

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) monitors air quality in Montana on a daily basis during the wildfire season. To find out about air quality in your area, visit the DEQ Web site at www.deq.mt.gov/FireUpdates.

For more information about the health impacts of smoke, visit the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution/airquality/default.htm