Air quality concerns linger as wildfires rage in California

Thursday, July 5, 2018

With air quality in the news because of the wildfires there's a lot of talk about breathing concerns.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- With air quality in the news because of the wildfires there's a lot of talk about breathing concerns.

Should we be concerned about the air quality if we're not in the fire zone?

Dr. Washington Burns with the Prescott-Joseph Center sat down with ABC7 with everything you need to know.

If it looks smoky outside, avoid physical outside activities and don't let your children play outdoors.
If you are advised to stay indoors, keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it's extremely hot outside. If you don't have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows closed may be dangerous in extremely hot weather. In these cases, seek alternative shelter.
Run your home or car air conditioner on recycle or recirculate. Keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.
If you have asthma or other lung disease, make sure you follow your doctor's directions about taking your medicines and following your asthma management plan. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.
If you have heart or lung disease, if you are an older adult, or if you have children, talk with your doctor about whether and when you should leave the area.