|
July 9-16 2022 - our second annual Wildfire Smoke Ready Week - has been brought to you by Climate Smart Missoula, the Missoula City-County Health Department, United Way of Missoula County, Missoula County Sustainability, and the Missoula County Fire Protection Association.
We've been on the airwaves, in the newspapers, on social media - #wildfiresmokereadyweek - and out and about in Missoula County. This is the best time to prepare for smoke! |
In the News this week:
Missoula Current: Missoulian: These next five pieces are also posted in full below |
Sarah Coefield and Mary Sullivan emceeing Trivia night!
|
|
Sarah Coefield's Smoke Ready articles for the week - all the words in one place!
Welcome to Wildfire Smoke Ready Week!
We’re finally hitting some hot summer days and we’ve seen the first fires start in western Montana. That means it’s time for all of us to get Wildfire Smoke Ready! Over the next several days, I’ll cover steps you can take to reduce smoke exposure for yourself, your family, your employees and your customers. We’ll cover selecting an air cleaner, making your own air cleaner, using furnace filters for whole-house cleaning, and keeping smoke out of commercial spaces. We’ll also cover outdoor activities and respirators. But first, I want to give you some background about wildfire smoke, why we care so much, and how you can check the air quality.
Hundreds of chemicals form when a fire burns the forest. Even more form when fires burn homes, businesses and cars. Volatile organic chemicals (acrolein, formaldehyde, benzene, etc.) give smoke that familiar campfire smell and can cause stinging eyes, headaches and irritated respiratory tracts. This is bad enough, but we’re most concerned about the tiny particles that form during incomplete combustion. We call these particles PM2.5, for fine particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller. The particles in smoke are part of that “and smaller” fraction — usually less than 1 micron in diameter. Their small size allows them to burrow deep into your lungs and even pass into your blood stream where they set off an inflammatory response. The particles in wildfire smoke cause reduced lung function, worsened chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms, worsened asthma attacks, increased susceptibility to infectious disease and increased risk of stroke, heart attack and death.
Wildfire smoke is bad for everyone, but it does not impact everyone equally. Smoke is particularly harmful to children, the elderly, pregnant people, and people with heart and lung disease. There are also people who cannot escape smoke by retreating to an indoor space with cleaner air: outdoor workers, wildland firefighters, the unhoused, and those who may not have access to filtered air even indoors. Altogether, a significant portion of our community is at heightened risk every time smoke rolls into our valleys.
So, how can you know what’s happening to your air? Happily, there are several ways you can stay on top of current air quality:
For now, visit MontanaWildfireSmoke.org for details about this week and stay tuned for tips to stay healthy this fire season!
We’re finally hitting some hot summer days and we’ve seen the first fires start in western Montana. That means it’s time for all of us to get Wildfire Smoke Ready! Over the next several days, I’ll cover steps you can take to reduce smoke exposure for yourself, your family, your employees and your customers. We’ll cover selecting an air cleaner, making your own air cleaner, using furnace filters for whole-house cleaning, and keeping smoke out of commercial spaces. We’ll also cover outdoor activities and respirators. But first, I want to give you some background about wildfire smoke, why we care so much, and how you can check the air quality.
Hundreds of chemicals form when a fire burns the forest. Even more form when fires burn homes, businesses and cars. Volatile organic chemicals (acrolein, formaldehyde, benzene, etc.) give smoke that familiar campfire smell and can cause stinging eyes, headaches and irritated respiratory tracts. This is bad enough, but we’re most concerned about the tiny particles that form during incomplete combustion. We call these particles PM2.5, for fine particulate matter 2.5 microns in diameter and smaller. The particles in smoke are part of that “and smaller” fraction — usually less than 1 micron in diameter. Their small size allows them to burrow deep into your lungs and even pass into your blood stream where they set off an inflammatory response. The particles in wildfire smoke cause reduced lung function, worsened chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms, worsened asthma attacks, increased susceptibility to infectious disease and increased risk of stroke, heart attack and death.
Wildfire smoke is bad for everyone, but it does not impact everyone equally. Smoke is particularly harmful to children, the elderly, pregnant people, and people with heart and lung disease. There are also people who cannot escape smoke by retreating to an indoor space with cleaner air: outdoor workers, wildland firefighters, the unhoused, and those who may not have access to filtered air even indoors. Altogether, a significant portion of our community is at heightened risk every time smoke rolls into our valleys.
So, how can you know what’s happening to your air? Happily, there are several ways you can stay on top of current air quality:
- 1Check Montana’s Today’s Air website (todaysair.mt.gov) for hourly PM2.5 data at permanent monitoring stations around the state.
- Check EPA’s Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) for hourly PM2.5 data at permanent monitoring stations, temporary monitors, and Purple Air sensors across the country.
- No monitor near your location? Look outside! If you can’t see five miles, the air quality is unhealthy. If you can’t see two miles, it’s very unhealthy.
- Consider investing in a consumer-grade particulate sensor. These are rarely as accurate as permanent monitors, but they can do an excellent job tracking air quality changes over time. If your sensor indicates air quality is deteriorating, take steps to clean the indoor air or reduce your activity levels.
- Bookmark MissoulaCounty.us/CurrentAQ for daily wildfire smoke forecasts specific to the Missoula County area (complete with satellite imagery and dumb smoke jokes!)
For now, visit MontanaWildfireSmoke.org for details about this week and stay tuned for tips to stay healthy this fire season!
Cleaning the Air in Your Home
Say you know smoke will likely head our way this summer and you don’t want to breathe it. What do you do? Clean the air in your home! In this column, I will cover how to select portable air cleaners (PACs) (also called air purifiers) and make DIY fan/filter combos to keep your indoor air healthy during smoke season.
First, a note about filters:
The best filters are HEPA filters. They are highly efficient at removing the tiny particles we’re most concerned about in smoke. HEPA filters are used in PACs and some commercial settings such as clean rooms.
Furnace filter efficiency is based on the MERV scale. The higher the MERV, the better the filter. When using a furnace filter to clean the air, aim for a MERV 13 (a MERV 11 or 12 will do in a pinch). If you select a 3M or Honeywell filter, their highest rated filters are MERV 13 equivalents.
Next, some money saving tips:
Now, here’s how to select a PAC:
Did you know a HEPA PAC is, at its heart, a fan and a filter? Know what’s also a fan and a filter? A box fan and a furnace filter. If you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own air cleaner.
Next I will cover whole house cleaning with furnace fans and central air handlers.
As always, be sure to check out MontanaWildfireSmoke.org for more information!
Say you know smoke will likely head our way this summer and you don’t want to breathe it. What do you do? Clean the air in your home! In this column, I will cover how to select portable air cleaners (PACs) (also called air purifiers) and make DIY fan/filter combos to keep your indoor air healthy during smoke season.
First, a note about filters:
The best filters are HEPA filters. They are highly efficient at removing the tiny particles we’re most concerned about in smoke. HEPA filters are used in PACs and some commercial settings such as clean rooms.
Furnace filter efficiency is based on the MERV scale. The higher the MERV, the better the filter. When using a furnace filter to clean the air, aim for a MERV 13 (a MERV 11 or 12 will do in a pinch). If you select a 3M or Honeywell filter, their highest rated filters are MERV 13 equivalents.
Next, some money saving tips:
- NorthWestern Energy customers who purchase an Energy Star air purifier (e.g. a HEPA PAC) are eligible for a $100 rebate. More information is available here: montanawildfiresmoke.org/hepa-filters.html
- Stocking up on furnace filters? Save money by purchasing them in bulk online. A single MERV 13 filter can cost up to $30, but you can get that down to less than $10/filter if you buy in bulk. Stock up or split the purchase with friends or family.
Now, here’s how to select a PAC:
- Make sure it uses a true HEPA filter. You need to capture particles smaller than 1 micron in diameter. “HEPA-like” isn’t going to cut it. Also, a note about HEPA filters: These filters capture all sizes of particles. They are certified based on their efficiency at capturing particles 0.3 microns and larger, but they capture the smaller particles, as well.
- Make sure your PAC is sized correctly for the room that it’s in. For wildfire smoke, use the clean air delivery rate (CADR) on the box as a guideline. You want to filter all the air in the room multiple times per hour, and if the PAC is undersized, you may not get the cleaning you were aiming for.
- Before purchasing a PAC, investigate the cost of replacement HEPA filters. You can often find off-brand replacements for less than the original manufacturer charges.
- Make sure you are OK with the amount of noise the PAC creates while on its higher settings. If you turn off the PAC because it’s noisy, it’s just a huge expensive paperweight.
- Some devices on the market generate ozone, which is a human health hazard. Check the PAC you’re looking at against the California Air Resource Board’s approved air purifier list: ww2.arb.ca.gov/list-carb-certified-air-cleaning-devices
Did you know a HEPA PAC is, at its heart, a fan and a filter? Know what’s also a fan and a filter? A box fan and a furnace filter. If you’re feeling crafty, you can make your own air cleaner.
- Use a box fan manufactured after 2012 (older box fans sometimes catch on fire).
- Attach a MERV 13 furnace filter to the back of the fan. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, use multiple fans and some cardboard to make a triangle or cube off the back of the fan to increase the amount of air you can clean at a time. There are loads of tutorials available online if you search “DIY air cleaner.”
- The basic DIY fan/filter combo is good for a room about 200 square feet.
Next I will cover whole house cleaning with furnace fans and central air handlers.
As always, be sure to check out MontanaWildfireSmoke.org for more information!
Using your home HVAC system to clean the air
In today’s column, we’ll look at how folks with forced air heat or central air conditioning can clean all the air in their homes. You lucky ducks!
This is straightforward. The only equipment you need is a stack of efficient furnace filters. However, there are some extra considerations for those with central air conditioning and there are best practices everyone should follow to make sure they benefit from their filters.
Central air conditioning considerations: Can your A/C system cope with a better filter? Find out before you follow the below steps. For some A/C systems, a better filter will cause the cooling coils to ice up. Read your manual or talk to your technician before installing efficient filters. If you cannot install a better filter, use portable air cleaners with HEPA filters or DIY fan/filter combos to clean your air on a room-by-room basis.
If you are using your furnace fan, or you want to use your central air fan without using the air conditioning function, or your central air handler can function with efficient filters, here’s what to do:
Next we’ll go over a more challenging task: Cleaning the air in commercial spaces.
As always, check out montanawildfiresmoke.org for more information.
In today’s column, we’ll look at how folks with forced air heat or central air conditioning can clean all the air in their homes. You lucky ducks!
This is straightforward. The only equipment you need is a stack of efficient furnace filters. However, there are some extra considerations for those with central air conditioning and there are best practices everyone should follow to make sure they benefit from their filters.
Central air conditioning considerations: Can your A/C system cope with a better filter? Find out before you follow the below steps. For some A/C systems, a better filter will cause the cooling coils to ice up. Read your manual or talk to your technician before installing efficient filters. If you cannot install a better filter, use portable air cleaners with HEPA filters or DIY fan/filter combos to clean your air on a room-by-room basis.
If you are using your furnace fan, or you want to use your central air fan without using the air conditioning function, or your central air handler can function with efficient filters, here’s what to do:
- Find your filters. The filters in HVAC systems are placed so return air is filtered before being sent into the air handler. This keeps insect and pet hair from gumming up the works. If you have multiple return vents, you may have multiple filters to replace.
- Stock up on replacement filters and be ready to change your filter(s) mid-fire season. Once you know how many and what size filters your system uses, you can invest in a stack of high-efficiency replacement filters. For wildfire smoke, you want to aim for a MERV 13 filter, but a MERV 11 or 12 will do in a pinch. Note that efficient filters get dirty faster than you may be accustomed to because they are capturing all the gunk in the air.
- Save money on HVAC filters by buying them in bulk. A single MERV 13 filter can cost $20-$30. If you can swing an online bulk order of 12 or so, you can get that below $10/filter.
- Install your filter correctly. You want a snug fit, but you do not want the filter to bend or be crushed. If air can sneak around the filter, you will just have dirty air recirculating through your home. Also, there is an arrow on your filter. It needs to point in the same direction as the airflow.
- Set your fan to “On” instead of “Auto.” Your indoor air will only be cleaned while the fan is running. You need to decouple the fan from the thermostat to ensure continuous air cleaning.
- Close your windows and doors and seal up leaks to keep smoke outside. Smoke comes inside fast every time you open a window or a door. Fortunately, if you keep your fan running air through your efficient filter(s), the indoor air improves rapidly. (We know — we looked. Your friendly local air quality specialists are indeed the type of nerds who measure their indoor air quality under different scenarios.)
- Keep interior doors open. This is most important for older homes with a centrally located return vent. Your HVAC system likes balance — it pushes air into rooms and pulls air back into the air handler. If your return air vents aren’t getting air from the rooms with air supply vents, the HVAC system will pull smoky air into your house to make up the difference.
Next we’ll go over a more challenging task: Cleaning the air in commercial spaces.
As always, check out montanawildfiresmoke.org for more information.
Cleaning the air in commercial spaces
Most of us spend at least part of our day in climate-controlled commercial buildings for work, school, exercise, entertainment or shopping. When it’s hot outside, it can be a huge relief to go inside to robust air conditioning. Unfortunately, when it’s smoky outside, that air conditioning is not a guarantee of clean indoor air.
Here’s why:
Filters: Commercial HVAC systems bring outside air inside. It’s what they are designed to do. They filter the air, but the current commercial standard for HVAC filters in Montana (and most of the country) is MERV 8. ASHRAE, the organization that sets HVAC standards, recommends MERV 13 filters for wildfire smoke. However, the less efficient MERV 8 filters are cheaper, so that’s what you’ll typically find in commercial HVAC systems.
Deferred maintenance: You might assume that if your air is cooled or heated adequately, everything is hunky dory with the HVAC system. Turns out, that’s not always the case, and simple HVAC malfunctions such as broken dampers or blocked air return vents can impact your indoor air quality.
Building pressure: If a building has negative air pressure, smoky air can rush inside every time someone uses a door. It can also enter via cracks around doors and windows. Positive pressure is maintained by bringing in outside air via the HVAC system and (hopefully) filtering it before ushering it into occupied spaces.
Door use: Commercial buildings, especially those open to the public, can see a lot of door use. Uncontrolled door opening combined with negative pressure can mean a lot more smoke coming inside.
Filters (again): If your HVAC filter is used up and super dirty, air will go around the filter and you just have dirty air going straight into the building. If you have gaps around the filter because it’s a.) too large and you jam it in anyway creating buckles and folds, or b.) too small and rattles around, dirty air will go through those gaps and into the building.
As a note, the air inside a commercial building will usually be better than unfiltered outdoor air. However, “better” is not always “good.” When we measured indoor air in commercial buildings, smoke reduction inside versus outside ranged from 22-70%, and most had less than a 40% smoke reduction. That’s not great. Fortunately, in 2021, ASHRAE, the authoritative voice on all things HVAC, developed a framework for commercial building operators to help them navigate wildfire smoke season. The full document is available here: montanawildfiresmoke.org/commercial-spaces.html
Here are some basic tips from the framework to get you started:
Most of us spend at least part of our day in climate-controlled commercial buildings for work, school, exercise, entertainment or shopping. When it’s hot outside, it can be a huge relief to go inside to robust air conditioning. Unfortunately, when it’s smoky outside, that air conditioning is not a guarantee of clean indoor air.
Here’s why:
Filters: Commercial HVAC systems bring outside air inside. It’s what they are designed to do. They filter the air, but the current commercial standard for HVAC filters in Montana (and most of the country) is MERV 8. ASHRAE, the organization that sets HVAC standards, recommends MERV 13 filters for wildfire smoke. However, the less efficient MERV 8 filters are cheaper, so that’s what you’ll typically find in commercial HVAC systems.
Deferred maintenance: You might assume that if your air is cooled or heated adequately, everything is hunky dory with the HVAC system. Turns out, that’s not always the case, and simple HVAC malfunctions such as broken dampers or blocked air return vents can impact your indoor air quality.
Building pressure: If a building has negative air pressure, smoky air can rush inside every time someone uses a door. It can also enter via cracks around doors and windows. Positive pressure is maintained by bringing in outside air via the HVAC system and (hopefully) filtering it before ushering it into occupied spaces.
Door use: Commercial buildings, especially those open to the public, can see a lot of door use. Uncontrolled door opening combined with negative pressure can mean a lot more smoke coming inside.
Filters (again): If your HVAC filter is used up and super dirty, air will go around the filter and you just have dirty air going straight into the building. If you have gaps around the filter because it’s a.) too large and you jam it in anyway creating buckles and folds, or b.) too small and rattles around, dirty air will go through those gaps and into the building.
As a note, the air inside a commercial building will usually be better than unfiltered outdoor air. However, “better” is not always “good.” When we measured indoor air in commercial buildings, smoke reduction inside versus outside ranged from 22-70%, and most had less than a 40% smoke reduction. That’s not great. Fortunately, in 2021, ASHRAE, the authoritative voice on all things HVAC, developed a framework for commercial building operators to help them navigate wildfire smoke season. The full document is available here: montanawildfiresmoke.org/commercial-spaces.html
Here are some basic tips from the framework to get you started:
- Purchase smoke preparation supplies such as portable air cleaners and extra filters.
- Evaluate the ability of the HVAC System to handle a higher efficiency filter, like MERV 13 or higher.
- Conduct a full maintenance check on the HVAC system and make repairs if needed.
- Assess and maintain adequate air flows to protect occupant health and equipment during smoke events.
- Prepare to add supplemental filtration at the intake air vent where possible.
- Assess filter conditions by adding a port or pressure gauge to measure the filter pressure drop on at least one air- handling unit.
- Weatherize the building to limit smoke intrusion. Consider measures such as limiting allowable entrances to reduce smoke entry.
- Prepare to monitor indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by purchasing one or more low-cost air sensors designed to measure the pollutant. These low-cost sensors can show trends in PM2.5 levels.
- Determine how to create temporary cleaner air spaces within the building.
- Reduce sources of indoor PM2.5 such as cooking, vacuum cleaning, use of printers or copiers and smoking.
Summer activities, heat and Smoke
In this, my final column for Wildfire Smoke Ready Week, I’m covering outdoor activities and coping with heat and smoke.
Some of us recreate outside, some of us work outside, and some of us have children who really, really, really need to burn off some energy. So, how to balance this against unhealthy air quality?
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your outdoor exposure. Before heading outside, check the current air quality at TodaysAir.mt.gov or Fire.Airnow.gov and then take a gander at the day’s wildfire smoke forecast at MissoulaCounty.us/CurrentAQ. You can also call the Missoula Air Quality Hotline at 406-258-3600. All these resources will provide a current air quality health category that you can use to make decisions about your day.
Reducing activity levels can lower the amount of smoke you would otherwise take into your body. (Vigorous exercise such as running, playing basketball or soccer, and swimming all increase your dose of air pollution because you breathe deeper and more often during those activities.) The Montana DEQ and DPHHS also provide a handy guide for outdoor activities here: dphhs.mt.gov/AirQuality.
Pay attention to how your body responds to the smoke and respect the signals it sends you. Different people will react differently to the smoke, and the longer a smoke event drags on, the less smoke you’ll be able to tolerate.
If you must work outside, or if you just really want to be outside even in smoky conditions, consider using a NIOSH-certified N95 respirator or well-fitting KN95 respirator. If you use a respirator, it should fit tight to your face so smoky air can’t sneak in around the edges. A couple notes about N95 respirators: They do not come in children’s sizes (although sometimes a size small will fit), and they are not super comfortable. If you find yourself constantly removing the respirator because you don’t like feeling it against your face or you're having trouble breathing, consider reducing your exposure by staying inside in a place with cleaner air. Cloth masks, bandanas, gaiters, painter masks, etc. will not protect you from wildfire smoke. Replace your respirator when it’s visibly dirty and do not use it if you struggle to breathe with it on.
If it’s hot and smoky outside, what do you do? If you have air conditioning, use HEPA portable air cleaners (PACs), DIY fan/filter combos, your home furnace fan, or your central air handler to clean the indoor air (see previous columns).
But what about those of us without air conditioning? Here’s the thing: Heat exposure is immediately dangerous to life and health. You must cool your home; that means opening your doors and windows and letting cooler, smoky air inside in the evening. It’s not ideal. However, HEPA PACs, DIY combos, and efficient furnace filters are incredibly effective at cleaning indoor air quickly. (Note: Wait to turn your air cleaners on until after you’ve closed your doors and windows. Your air should be considerably cleaner within an hour.)
If you have a window air conditioner for just one room in your home, sleep in that room with the door closed and run your PAC or DIY combo to clean the air in that room while cooler, smokier air is in the rest of your house.
And remember, when it’s smoky outside, check on your friends and neighbors. See if they have what they need to get through the season. And take heart: The snow will fly, the hockey puck will drop, the ski hill will reopen, and we’ll all remember how great winter can be.
Be sure to visit MontanaWildfireSmoke.org for information to get you through the coming wildfire season.
In this, my final column for Wildfire Smoke Ready Week, I’m covering outdoor activities and coping with heat and smoke.
Some of us recreate outside, some of us work outside, and some of us have children who really, really, really need to burn off some energy. So, how to balance this against unhealthy air quality?
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your outdoor exposure. Before heading outside, check the current air quality at TodaysAir.mt.gov or Fire.Airnow.gov and then take a gander at the day’s wildfire smoke forecast at MissoulaCounty.us/CurrentAQ. You can also call the Missoula Air Quality Hotline at 406-258-3600. All these resources will provide a current air quality health category that you can use to make decisions about your day.
Reducing activity levels can lower the amount of smoke you would otherwise take into your body. (Vigorous exercise such as running, playing basketball or soccer, and swimming all increase your dose of air pollution because you breathe deeper and more often during those activities.) The Montana DEQ and DPHHS also provide a handy guide for outdoor activities here: dphhs.mt.gov/AirQuality.
Pay attention to how your body responds to the smoke and respect the signals it sends you. Different people will react differently to the smoke, and the longer a smoke event drags on, the less smoke you’ll be able to tolerate.
If you must work outside, or if you just really want to be outside even in smoky conditions, consider using a NIOSH-certified N95 respirator or well-fitting KN95 respirator. If you use a respirator, it should fit tight to your face so smoky air can’t sneak in around the edges. A couple notes about N95 respirators: They do not come in children’s sizes (although sometimes a size small will fit), and they are not super comfortable. If you find yourself constantly removing the respirator because you don’t like feeling it against your face or you're having trouble breathing, consider reducing your exposure by staying inside in a place with cleaner air. Cloth masks, bandanas, gaiters, painter masks, etc. will not protect you from wildfire smoke. Replace your respirator when it’s visibly dirty and do not use it if you struggle to breathe with it on.
If it’s hot and smoky outside, what do you do? If you have air conditioning, use HEPA portable air cleaners (PACs), DIY fan/filter combos, your home furnace fan, or your central air handler to clean the indoor air (see previous columns).
But what about those of us without air conditioning? Here’s the thing: Heat exposure is immediately dangerous to life and health. You must cool your home; that means opening your doors and windows and letting cooler, smoky air inside in the evening. It’s not ideal. However, HEPA PACs, DIY combos, and efficient furnace filters are incredibly effective at cleaning indoor air quickly. (Note: Wait to turn your air cleaners on until after you’ve closed your doors and windows. Your air should be considerably cleaner within an hour.)
If you have a window air conditioner for just one room in your home, sleep in that room with the door closed and run your PAC or DIY combo to clean the air in that room while cooler, smokier air is in the rest of your house.
And remember, when it’s smoky outside, check on your friends and neighbors. See if they have what they need to get through the season. And take heart: The snow will fly, the hockey puck will drop, the ski hill will reopen, and we’ll all remember how great winter can be.
Be sure to visit MontanaWildfireSmoke.org for information to get you through the coming wildfire season.
