With the recent large wildfires in the area — Park Fire and Gold Complex Fire — residual smoke has impacted local communities. The Plumas Underburn Cooperative and Plumas County Fire Safe Council acknowledge that wildfire smoke is harmful, especially for seniors and those with respiratory conditions. PUC announces it has a small cache of household high-efficiency particulate absorbing filter air purifiers to lend at no cost on a short-term basis. The group offers the Winix 5500-2 air purifier with Winix H 116130 HEPA filters.
PUC program manager Logan Krahenbuhl reports that there are currently four units not assigned. Those interested in requesting a loan can fill out this form. Anyone is eligible to receive a purifier. Priority will be given to households that include seniors, children or those with respiratory issues, and households that do not have the means to permanently acquire a purifier.
Residents can check local air quality online. The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District provides additional air quality informational resources: EPA Fire and Smoke Map and NE California Smoke Outlook.
Ways to deal with wildfire smoke
PUC encourages residents of Plumas County to limit their exposure to wildfire smoke as much as possible.
Reducing physical activity is an effective strategy to lower the dose of inhaled air pollutants and reduce health risks during a smoke event, according to PUC. During exercise, people can increase their air intake as much as 10 to 20 times over their resting level. Increased breathing rates bring more pollution deep into the lungs.
Staying inside in a safe place with the doors and windows closed can usually reduce exposure to air pollution by at least a third or more.
Residents can also reduce other sources of indoor air pollution, such as smoking cigarettes; using gas, propane and wood-burning stoves and furnaces; spraying aerosol products; frying or broiling meat; burning candles and incense; and vacuuming. These can all increase particle levels in a home and should be avoided when wildfire smoke is present.
Residents can find a designated clean air shelter where they can go for respite from smoky conditions. This is particularly important for people without air conditioning on hot smoky days, says PUC, when staying indoors with windows closed can be hazardous. Places to consider going include public libraries, hospitals, movie theaters and other public buildings with good heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Individuals who are particularly sensitive to smoke should consider temporarily evacuating an area with unhealthy levels of air pollution until air quality conditions improve.
One of the best ways to reduce the impact of smoke is by reducing the amount of smoke that enters a building and filtering harmful particles from the air, said PUC. Those with central air conditioning systems can set them to recirculate or close outdoor air intakes to avoid drawing in smoky outdoor air. Upgrading the filter efficiency of the HVAC system and changing filters frequently during smoke events also greatly improves indoor air quality.
Smaller portable air cleaners provide clean air in the areas where residents spend most of their time. Essentially these are filters with an attached fan that draws air through the filter and cleans it. These cleaners can help reduce indoor particle levels, provided the specific air cleaner is properly matched to the size of the indoor environment in which it is placed, and doors and windows are kept shut, said PUC. They should be placed in the bedrooms or living rooms to provide the most effectiveness.
Face masks of the proper rating can be an effective way to reduce exposure to smoke when they are fit correctly, says PUC. The mask should be rated at least N95 or N100. These masks will filter out the small particles that are the most hazardous to health.
More information about smoke and filtration is available on the PUC website.
Information provided by Plumas Underburn Cooperative
