FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - Summer is wildfire season in Alaska, and that means smoke and potential health hazards for you and your family. Although there are no large fires burning in Alaska right now, fire season will be upon us very soon.
Smoke from wildfires is a combination of gases and very fine particles from the trees and other plants that are burning.
The fire needn't be in your backyard -- the wind can carry it far, and it can change direction on a whim. It's possible to feel the effects of smoke from a wildfire several hundred miles away. In the past, Fairbanks has been blanketed in smoke from fires as far away as the Gobi Desert in northern China and southern Mongolia and from fires in Russia.
When smoke moves into an inhabited area and air quality worsens, even healthy people may suffer. It can cause teary eyes, scratchy throats, coughing, shortness of breath, headaches and chest pain. If you suffer from heart or respiratory disease, it can aggravate existing symptoms. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to high quantities of smoke and particulates in the air.
Most healthy adults will recover quickly from smoke exposure and will not suffer long-term consequences. Older adults (with respiratory conditions) and young children (because their lungs are still developing) are more likely to be affected negatively by smoke exposure. The effects of smoke can be significant to people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions such as allergies, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
There are ways to protect yourself and your family from the bad effects of wildfire smoke.
The first is to limit exposure to smoke. If it's thick enough that you can see it, it's a good idea to stay indoors. Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible. It may be helpful to run an air cleaner with a HEPA filter if you have one.
Don't add to the pollution by smoking or burning candles, fireplaces or gas stoves indoors.
Don't vacuum -- it stirs up particles that are already inside your home.
Remember to bring your pets indoors as well. They can suffer the same problems due to smoke as their owners. Ensure they are properly cared for.
Finally, check local air-quality reports. You can hear them on local news, radio, the local newspapers and online.
Go to http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/airquality/ to get Fairbanks air quality and to http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/am/smoke.htm for statewide information. The Fairbanks air-quality hotline is 459-1325 or 459-1326.
For information on fires burning statewide and the latest updates, visit the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service site at http://fire.ak.blm.gov/aicc.php.
For information on Wildfire Smoke from the Department of Health and Social Services, visit their website at http://www.epi.alaska.gov/eh/wildfire/default.htm.
For information on Wildfire Smoke from the Department of Environmental Conservation, Air Quality Division, visit the website at http://www.dec.state.ak.us/air/smokemain.htm.
Editor's note: Information for this article was pulled from fact sheets and websites, including the Alaska Department of Environmental Conversation at www.dec.state.ak.us/air/smokemain.htm and the Centers for Disease Control at www.emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/facts.asp.
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