Smoke from wildfires burning in Utah and Colorado has blanketed parts of the Western Slope over the last week, leading to near-daily air quality warnings from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
On Tuesday, the state issued an advisory for 23 counties, including Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield.
The notice recommended limiting outdoor activity when moderate to heavy smoke is present.
Carlyn Porter, an epidemiologist with Pitkin County Public Health, recommends using sites like airnow.gov to track the Air Quality Index as an indicator of relative risk. But she said that using sensory observations will provide the best information.
“If mountains are not visible in the distance, that means there's particulate matter in the air, so it may not be the best day to go for that marathon run,” Porter said.
Porter added that if you can see or smell smoke, try to avoid strenuous activities. She advises people to treat smoky air like bad weather.
“Look around outside, and if it's looking clear, then give it a go, and if it's looking smoky, you might want to wait it out a bit,” Porter said.
Low-stress activities like walking your dog are usually fine, Porter said, but extended smoke exposure can lead to serious respiratory or circulatory issues.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the possible health impacts of breathing wildfire smoke range from minor eye and respiratory irritation to heart failure and premature death. It’s also been shown to affect cognitive function, ability to fight bacteria and viruses, and potentially lead to preterm birth.
The risks are higher for young children, older adults or anyone with conditions that compromise the heart or lungs.
“We are concerned about the smaller particulates getting into the bloodstream,” Porter said. “And obviously, exposure over a longer period of time kind of compounds those impacts.”
N-95 masks can help, but Porter doesn’t think they’re very practical in the summer heat.
“It's so hot and hard to breathe with an N-95 on in the summer,” Porter said. “It's like a Plan C or D option. Otherwise, filtering the air indoors and avoiding outdoor exposure is probably the best bet.”
Porter recommends using a HEPA air filter that is appropriately sized for the room. She said adding a charcoal filter can help remove more particulates and odors.
Porter also said to avoid smoking, burning candles or any activities that add more pollutants to the air.
Pitkin County has a detailed guide on how to handle smoky air, including low-cost ways to reduce exposure. The city of Aspen has visuals of what unhealthy air quality looks like.
Porter said the region typically has very good air quality, and a few days of smoky air likely won’t cause long-term health impacts.
But coming off a record-dry winter, it could be a busy season of smoke-related warnings.
“It's not out of the ordinary for a western Colorado summer,” Porter said. “But I think we've put out more advisories earlier in the season than we have in the past.”
