Smoke particulates from the severe wildfires in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada, have blanketed parts of the U.S. East Coast and spread as far south as Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Though wildfire season has just begun, the Canadian wildfires have already singed 11 million acres; an area that’s 15 times larger than the normal amount of damage for this time of year.
To put that into perspective, that’s more than double the size of New Jersey.
With more than 100 million people impacted from the far-reaching effects of the fires, it’s important to know how to protect yourself and others from smoke inhalation. Protection is especially crucial for outdoor workers, individuals with compromised immune systems or asthmatic conditions, elderly folks, and young workers.
The coronavirus pandemic has made many folks accustomed to wearing N95 masks regularly; in cars, to and from stores, on public transportation and in offices, schools, restaurants, and many other places where you’re likely to contact other people. N95 masks are the top-recommended mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Fortunately, if you have these masks on hand, they can help to safeguard against some of the particulates of smoke inhalation—but not all.
Though the air quality has improved significantly in affected areas of the U.S., persisting uncertainties remain as to how the wildfires might progress. It’s suggested that you keep N95 masks available for use when needed. However, you should also use your judgement on whether it’s safe to venture outside, and if you should consider alternative measures, such as updating the filters on your home’s HVAC system.
How Can N95 Masks Help?
N95 masks are the preferred mask to use to protect yourself against the smoke particles. N95 masks are designed to filter out particles as small as 0.3 micrometers, or a fraction of the width of human hair. According to TIME magazine, the particles from the wildfires measure about 2.5 micros or less, or 30 times the diameter of human hair. N95 masks can’t prevent 100% of the particles from entering your airway, but they protect against most of them—and that’s certainly better than not wearing a mask at all.
It’s important to note that you shouldn’t substitute surgical or cloth masks for N95 masks. These masks aren’t built the same way and they will not keep out smoke particulates.
Written by Danielle Renda