MISSOULA - Wildfires bring smoke, and smoke can bring some health hazards for those who are young, elderly, or have heart disease.
But there are a couple of things you can do to mitigate the effects of smoke on your body.
“So poor air quality means that particulate matter is taking the place of oxygen. Fortunately, we live in Montana where air quality is typically very good, but we also live in elevation which means there’s less oxygen already so when we have things like wildfires, that’s a lot of particular matter and so that takes place of oxygen in the lungs and also affects the heart as well,” said Dr. Cubby Pierre, an Emergency Department doctor at Community Medical Center.
During wildfire season, that particulate matter includes ash. And while our air quality is usually good throughout the year, high elevation can be a problem during fire season.
“Fortunately, we live in Montana where air quality is typically very good, but we also live in elevation which means there’s less oxygen already so when we have things like wildfires, that’s a lot of particular matter and so that takes place of oxygen in the lungs and also affects the heart as well,” said Dr. Pierre.
Smoke can be especially harmful to the elderly, kids, and those with heart disease.
“The elderly it's kind of a lifetime of exposure to things like this so it's an accumulation over time. For kids, everything just isn't developed as well yet quite yet so they're just at higher risk,” said Dr. Pierre.
When wildfire smoke is thick or the air quality is unhealthy, the best thing to do is stay indoors and limit your time outside. If you are experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain, it's best to get checked out by a medical professional.
