With the wildfire season descending upon northwest Montana in full force and fires in Oregon and Washington sending waves of smoke through the Flathead Valley, I’m reminded that we don’t all share the habituated lung capacity of a chainsmoker. While those seasoned by years of smoky summers may approach higher Air Quality Index (AQI) values like one of my coworkers, who refuses to let thicker air prevent her from enjoying the final stretches of summer’s sun, I’m here with a few tips on how to do so while minimizing health impacts from smoke. 

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recommends outdoor activities based on AQI values. The AQI system measures five major pollutants: ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Wildfire smoke primarily drives up particulate pollution, which DEQ monitors on its website Today’s Air. DEQ’s outdoor activity recommendations based on AQI levels can be found in the diagram below. 

Those with the highest risk of experiencing health issues from air pollution are children, people with chronic conditions such as asthma or another respiratory or cardiovascular disease, pregnant women and older adults. For those people, the American Lung Association recommends sealing off homes to outside air or designating a “clean room” in the house with a portable or DIY air purifier using a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter.

While there is currently no public space Flathead County has to offer people who don’t have access to smoke-free, air-conditioned homes, environmental health department manager Jim Wardensky said designating such a space is something county officials have looked into in recent years. At the Flathead Warming Center, Resource Manager Sean Patrick O’Neill said staff often connects people looking for a place away from the smoke to resources available at the Salvation Army, the Flathead County Library or the Gateway Community Center.

“Trying to find a place where everyone can go is hard,” he said.

The county environmental health department often receives questions about children in school settings, especially as practices for fall sports begin. Health officials recommend taking practices inside and limiting time outside depending on the AQI rating. For those traveling, Wardensky recommends using the air recirculation setting in vehicles and replacing cabin air filters.

“I think a lot of it is really common sense,” Wardensky said. “In the event you are in that sensitive group or have asthma or some other respiratory issue that may leave you compromised, we always urge them to speak with your primary care provider or doctor to see if there’s anything from a medical standpoint they can do.” 

Zoë Buhrmaster here with today’s tips. Let’s see what else is circulating in today’s roundup.