If you see or smell smoke, health officials are recommending that you avoid outdoor physical activities.
The air quality throughout the Colorado Springs area is being negatively affected because of the devastating wildfires, officials said.
El Paso County Public Health said that poor air quality can cause breathing difficulties, especially for people susceptible to respiratory conditions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms of being affected by the poor air quality include coughing, a scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, shortness of breath, chest pain, headaches, stinging eyes, a runny nose and asthma exacerbations.
To protect yourself, you are advised to stay indoors and keep that air as clean as possible. Kitchen windows and doors should be kept closed unless it’s extremely hot outside, the CDC said.
Air conditions can be run but the CDC said the keep the fresh-air intake closed and clean the filter to prevent outdoor smoke from entering.
Additionally, the CDC said anything that burns should not be used. That includes candles, fireplaces or gas stoves. Vacuums should also be avoided because it stirs up particles already in the home.
Dust masks should not be relied on for protection, officials said. Those are designed to trap large particles, not smoke. Specific masks can help with the air quality, though.
From El Paso County Health:
In general, if you can see or smell smoke, it is recommended that you avoid outdoor physical activities.
· If visibility is decreased in your neighborhood to less than five miles, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy.
Children, Elderly, and People with Respiratory Conditions
· If you can see or smell smoke, children, elderly, pregnant women, and people with pre-existing respiratory conditions should stay inside with the windows and doors closed.
· If it is hot outside, run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, try to get involved in activities that offer air conditioning, such as public places.
· Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugars.
· Children are more likely to be affected by health threats from smoke because their airways are still developing and because they breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. Children also are more likely to be active outdoors.
Older adults are more likely to be affected by smoke, as they have higher levels of heart or lung diseases than younger people.
· Follow your doctor's advice about medicines and about your respiratory management plan if you have asthma or another chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen.
Healthy Individuals
· When smoke levels are high, even healthy people may experience coughing, a scratchy throat, irritated sinuses, shortness of breath, chest pain, headaches, stinging eyes, and a runny nose. If you can see or smell smoke, you should limit outdoor physical activities and stay indoors if at all possible.
Wildfire smoke contains pollutants that can be harmful to health. Particles from smoke tend to be very small and can therefore be inhaled into the deepest recesses of the lung and may represent a greater health concern than larger particles. Even in healthy people, this can cause temporary reductions in lung function and pulmonary inflammation. Particulate matter can also affect the body’s immune system.
· Air quality updates are available at www.elpasocountyhealth.org.
· Updates on the Waldo Canyon Fire are available at: www.inciweb.org
· Joint Information Center Phone Numbers: 719-629-7322, 720-402-7935, 720-202-4510, 720-237-9947, 720-237-3417.
· TWITTER UPDATES: Twitter @ EPCPublicHealth and @EPCSheriff and @springsgov
· Residents can sign up to receive emergency notifications on cell phones or email at www.elpasoteller911.org
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