Wildfire smoke, air quality and your health: Protecting your physical and mental health

During heavy smoke conditions, it's extremely important that you take actions to protect your health.

On this page

• Reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke outdoors
• Participating in outdoor events and activities
• Travelling during wildfire season
• Protect your indoor air from wildfire smoke
• Protect the air in your vehicle
• Wearing a respirator
• Wildfire smoke and extreme heat
• Take care of your mental health
• After a wildfire smoke event

Reduce your exposure to wildfire smoke outdoors

Check local air quality conditions using the AQHI, InfoSmog (for Quebec), and air quality alerts to determine whether smoke is impacting your area.

Limit time outdoors. Listen to your body. If you experience symptoms of wildfire smoke exposure, consider reducing or stopping strenuous outdoor activities.

If you're among the groups who are more likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke, you should:

• reduce or reschedule strenuous activities outdoors
• seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms of wildfire smoke exposure

If you need to work outdoors, check with your provincial or territorial occupational health and safety organization or your local health authority. They can provide guidance on how to reduce your exposure while working outdoors during wildfire smoke events.

Participating in outdoor events and activities

It's important to weigh the risks and benefits of being outdoors and participating in physical activity outside.

Coaches, sport officials and outdoor event and activity organizers should:

• assess local conditions using the forecasted AQHI, air quality alerts and weather forecast information and continue to do so during the event or activity to monitor changing conditions
• consider the level and type of activity involved, as well as the needs of participants and spectators

These factors can help determine whether outdoor activities or events, such as sports, outdoor camps, cultural activities, concerts and festivals, should take place. As smoke conditions can vary considerably from hour to hour, it's important to be prepared for changing conditions and stop activities if necessary.

In general, organizers:

• should be attentive to the potential for participants to experience symptoms when the AQHI is moderate (4 to 6) and the event involves strenuous physical activities by at-risk individuals
• are advised to reduce the length or intensity level, or reschedule the activity when:
  • the AQHI is high (7 to 10), an air quality alert has been issued, and the event involves at-risk populations participating in strenuous physical exertion
• should consider cancelling or rescheduling events and activities when the AQHI is very high (10+) and an air quality alert has been issued.

Participants and spectators in outdoor events and activities, especially those who are most likely to be impacted by wildfire smoke, should:

• pay attention to air quality information
• monitor symptoms and modify or limit outdoor activities as necessary

Travelling during wildfire season

If you're travelling in an area impacted by wildfires or wildfire smoke, be aware of local conditions. As conditions can vary considerably from hour to hour, it's important to be prepared for changing situations and cancel travel, if necessary.

Check the AQHI or InfoSmog (for Quebec) regularly and monitor local media for information, including warnings, alerts or evacuation orders from authorities. If you're in an area threatened by an approaching wildfire, you should be prepared to evacuate at any time. If told to evacuate, do so immediately.

Protect your indoor air from wildfire smoke

It's important that the air indoors is as clean as possible, especially if you have to stay inside due to wildfire smoke events. This applies to:

• homes
• offices
• schools
• daycares
• other buildings

Protect your indoor air from wildfire smoke by:

• keeping windows and doors closed as much as possible. When there's an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool.
• using the highest quality air filter that your ventilation system can handle based on the manufacturer's recommendations
• using a certified portable air cleaner that can filter fine particles
• limiting the use of exhaust fans, such as bathroom fans

Learn more about protecting your indoor air.

If you don't have access to a ventilation system or portable air cleaner, you may plan to use a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) air cleaner. There's some evidence that DIY air cleaners can be an effective option in short-term emergency situations. It's important to understand the limitations and safety risks associated with DIY air cleaners. If you choose to use DIY air cleaners:

• use a clean, newer (2012 or later), certified box fan with a safety fuse
• keep the fan away from walls, furniture and curtains
• change the filters regularly during wildfire smoke events as clogged filters may cause the fan to overheat and lead to fires
• never leave the fan unattended while in use or while you're sleeping
• never leave children unattended when the fan is in use
• don't use an extension cord
• don't use a damaged or malfunctioning fan

If you need more support during a wildfire smoke event, contact your local authorities for information on local cleaner air spaces. Seek out local cleaner air spaces to take a break from the smoke, especially if you:

• can't maintain cleaner air indoors during a wildfire smoke event
• don't have air conditioning and it's too warm to stay inside with the windows closed

If smoke is present for more than a few days, stay active when you can. Try finding a place with cleaner air to exercise indoors, for instance at the gym, the community centre or at home. Levels of air pollutants in smoke may be lower indoors, but can still be elevated. Listen to your body and stay aware of any symptoms even when you're exercising indoors.

Protect the air in your vehicle

In your vehicle, keep vehicle windows closed and set the ventilation system to recirculation mode. Depending on outdoor conditions and other factors such as the number of passengers in the vehicle, you might want to turn off recirculation mode regularly to:

• refresh the air inside your vehicle
• avoid the build-up of carbon dioxide

When it's hot, keeping cool is a priority, even during periods of poor air quality. Avoid overheating by:

• using the vehicle's air conditioning system
• ensuring adequate ventilation, like opening a window

Wearing a respirator

If you must spend time outdoors, a well-fitting and properly worn NIOSH-certified N95 or equivalent respirator (KN95 or KF94) mask may help reduce your exposure to fine particles in smoke. These particles pose the main health risk from wildfire smoke. It doesn't protect against the gases in smoke. When wearing a respirator, it's important to listen to your body. If you need to remove your respirator, try to move to an area with cleaner air before removing it. Respirators shouldn't be used by:

• children under 2 years of age
• someone who has trouble breathing while wearing the mask
• someone who needs help to remove it

Learn more about using a respirator mask during wildfire smoke events.

Wildfire smoke and extreme heat

Wildfire smoke and extreme heat can happen at the same time and can both negatively impact your health. When there's an extreme heat event occurring with poor air quality, prioritize keeping cool. Stay informed of the health and safety guidance provided by your local authorities.

Additional measures to protect yourself from the health effects of extreme heat

Learn more about combined wildfire smoke and heat events.

Take care of your mental health

Taking care of your mental health can help you to cope with challenges experienced during a wildfire smoke event, including the impacts of an evacuation. By being mentally healthy and improving emotional strength you can increase your coping skills and resiliency, including how you handle stressful experiences.

It's not unusual to feel worried, stressed out, sad or isolated during a smoke event. Eating well, getting enough sleep, exercising indoors in a place with cleaner air and staying in contact with friends can help. If you're having trouble coping, you may want to consider seeking help from a:

• friend
• family member
• community leader
• health care provider

Remember, a wildfire smoke event may last a long time, but it will eventually end. You may find it helpful to share positive outlooks and attitudes in challenging times.

If you're in immediate danger or need urgent medical support, call 9-1-1.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8. Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline.

You can access free mental health supports here:

• Mental health support
• About mental health - Canada.ca
• Canadian Emergency Response Psychosocial Network: Mental health guidance and resources
• Hope for Wellness Helpline for Indigenous Peoples
• Kids Help Phone

After a wildfire smoke event

After a wildfire smoke event, you can take steps to support your health as conditions return to normal.

Check local air quality conditions using the AQHI, InfoSmog (Quebec), air quality alerts, and weather conditions before returning to normal activities.

Improving your indoor air quality after a wildfire smoke event

Even after a wildfire smoke event, fine particles and other pollutants may remain indoors. Once outdoor air quality improves, ensure good indoor air quality by:

• running your ventilation system
• opening doors and windows to replace indoor air with fresh outdoor air
• wet-mopping floors and other hard surfaces to reduce the amount of settled dust that can be resuspended in indoor air
• vacuuming carpets and rugs using a vacuum cleaner that contains a HEPA filter
• cleaning or replacing the filters in your ventilation system and portable air cleaners
• testing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms
  • replace or install new batteries as necessary

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions or contact a qualified professional for advice, if needed.

Before using your water

After a wildfire event has occurred in your community, it's extremely important that you don't use tap water for drinking or preparing food until officials say the water source is safe.

For more information: Residential water use after a wildfire event.

Find more information on what to do after a wildfire.