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What is smoke?

Smoke is made up of a mixture of gases and fine particles produced when wood and other materials burn. Smoke is made up of visible and invisible parts. It contains tiny particles of soot suspended in air, and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, that you cannot see. Smoke in the outdoor air can also travel indoors.

Smoke’s very small particles are a public health concern because they are harmful to the lung and carry toxic material with them deep into sensitive areas of the lungs. Gases in smoke will differ depending on the type of fire and the material burned. In a wood smoke fire, there are a number of gases such as acrolein, benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and nitrogen oxides. Carbon monoxide decreases the amount of oxygen that is delivered to the body's organs, and at high levels can cause death. Acrolein and nitrogen oxides irritate the lungs, and benzene and formaldehyde are linked to cancer.

What are the sources of smoke?

Smoke can come from a number of places such as wood stoves, fireplaces, forest fires, building fires, and agricultural and other outdoor burning. The amount of smoke in an area depends on the size and number of fires, the material being burned, and the weather and atmospheric conditions.

What can smoke do to my health?

The main health concern from short-term exposure to smoke comes from breathing small particles and gases. Eye and respiratory irritation (burning eyes and runny nose) are common symptoms of breathing smoke. More serious medical problems can occur in the young, the elderly, and people with heart, stroke, or lung problems. People with lung problems such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are especially susceptible to health problems from smoke. They should take special precautions to avoid breathing smoke.

Smoke from chemical fires can be dangerous for everyone. When chemicals burn, highly toxic complex chemical mixtures are formed. Such fires can can result when chemical storage facilities or chemical cargo on trucks or rail cars burn. Added care should be taken to avoid breathing smoke from chemical fires.

Who is most likely to have health effects from smoke?

• Infants and young children.

• Older adults, 65+ years old.

• Those with pre-existing lung and cardiovascular conditions. This includes people with respiratory infections, asthma, COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the two main types), angina, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and those who previously had a heart attack or stroke.

• Pregnant women.

• Cigarette smokers.

• Diabetics.

How can you tell if someone is having serious health problems from smoke?

Symptoms that may indicate more serious health effects include wheezing, persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, sudden overwhelming fatigue, sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, trouble speaking or seeing, severe and intense headache, and rapid heartbeat. People who develop these symptoms should contact their health care provider. Dial 911 for emergency assistance.

How can I protect myself from smoke?

• Stay inside and keep the windows and doors closed.

• Use the recycle or recirculate mode on the air conditioner in your home or car.

• If you don't have air conditioning and weather temperatures are extremely hot, staying indoors with the windows closed may be dangerous. Consider leaving the area or staying with nearby friends or family who have air conditioning.

• Avoid using anything indoors that burns, including wood stoves, gas cook stoves, and candles.

• Don’t smoke. Smoking puts more pollution in your lungs (and in the lungs of people around you).

• Avoid physical exertion when smoke is in the air.

• Some room air cleaners can reduce indoor particle levels. To work properly, these devices must match the room size they are being used in. Room air cleaners that produce ozone air pollution shouldn't be used. For more information, see California's air cleaning devices for the home (PDF 128KB).

• Contact your health care provider if you have heart or lung problems when around smoke. Dial 911 for emergency assistance if symptoms are serious.

People who know they are sensitive to smoke should consider leaving the area until the smoke clears. People with asthma should develop an asthma management plan with their health care provider. The American Lung Association has information about creating an asthma action plan.

How can I reduce smoke?

• Replace uncertified wood stove. Switch to an electric, natural gas, propane, or certified wood stove.

• If you heat your home with a wood stove, burn only dry seasoned wood and keep your fire hot. For more on clean burning to reduce smoke and how to get more heat from your firewood, see Ecology's wood stove page.

• Follow burn bans issued by your Local Clean Air Agency.

• Avoid burning yard waste and other vegetation. Ecology's outdoor burning page offers alternatives to burning and the urban growth areas where outdoor burning is banned.

What about a fire in a nearby factory, warehouse, or other building?

The threat from a building fire depends on the material burned, the closeness of the fire, and weather conditions. Follow the tips for protecting yourself from smoke. Listen for TV and radio news reports and follow emergency manager's instructions.

For more on the adverse health effects of chemicals involved in fires, contact the Washington Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.

How do I check current air quality conditions?

• Air Monitoring Sites - The Department of Ecology offers an interactive map showing air quality station data from around the state.

• Local Clean Air Agencies - These regional agencies offer information on air monitoring, burn bans, and much more.

• Air Quality Forecasts E-mails - Stay informed of local air quality conditions by signing up for American Lung Association's e-Forecast Service.

Related Resources

• Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials (PDF 1.3MB)

• Air Quality - Department of Ecology

• Smoke from Agricultural and Forest Fires - AIRNow

• Wildfires - CDC

• Air Quality Data - Washington Tracking Network