Emergencia

El humo de los incendios forestales

A smokey landscape during the 2017 British Columbia wildfires.

El humo de los incendios forestales es una forma de contaminación atmosférica que puede afectar a la salud.

Por qué es perjudicial el humo

Contiene partículas de contaminación muy pequeñas (conocidas como partículas o PM por sus siglas en inglés) que se desplazan hasta los pulmones cuando se las inhala. Dichas partículas pueden causar irritación e inflamación. De todos los contaminantes presentes en el humo de los incendios forestales, las partículas son las que suponen un mayor riesgo para la salud.  Obtenga más información sobre la composición del humo de los incendios forestales en esta hoja informativa del Centro de Control de Enfermedades de Colombia Británica (British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, BCCDC).  BCCDC fact sheet.

La mayoría de los síntomas pueden tratarse sin atención médica:

  • Dolor de garganta
  • Irritación ocular
  • Goteo nasal
  • Tos leve
  • Expectoración con flema
  • Respiración sibilante
  • Dolores de cabeza

Algunas personas pueden experimentar síntomas más graves y deben buscar atención médica inmediata. Llame a HealthLink BC (8-1-1), hable con su médico de atención primaria o acuda a un consultorio ambulatorio si está experimentando lo siguiente:

  • Falta de aliento
  • Tos intensa
  • Mareos
  • Dolor en el pecho
  • Palpitaciones

Por qué es perjudicial el humo

Contiene partículas de contaminación muy pequeñas (conocidas como partículas o PM por sus siglas en inglés) que se desplazan hasta los pulmones cuando se las inhala. Dichas partículas pueden causar irritación e inflamación. De todos los contaminantes presentes en el humo de los incendios forestales, las partículas son las que suponen un mayor riesgo para la salud.  Obtenga más información sobre la composición del humo de los incendios forestales en esta hoja informativa del Centro de Control de Enfermedades de Colombia Británica (British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, BCCDC).  BCCDC fact sheet.

La mayoría de los síntomas pueden tratarse sin atención médica:

  • Dolor de garganta
  • Irritación ocular
  • Goteo nasal
  • Tos leve
  • Expectoración con flema
  • Respiración sibilante
  • Dolores de cabeza

Algunas personas pueden experimentar síntomas más graves y deben buscar atención médica inmediata. Llame a HealthLink BC (8-1-1), hable con su médico de atención primaria o acuda a un consultorio ambulatorio si está experimentando lo siguiente:

  • Falta de aliento
  • Tos intensa
  • Mareos
  • Dolor en el pecho
  • Palpitaciones

Personas con mayor riesgo

Cada persona responde de forma diferente al humo, y algunos tienen un mayor riesgo de experimentar efectos sobre la salud. Es especialmente importante que los siguientes grupos de personas reduzcan la exposición a los incendios forestales:

  • Personas con enfermedades crónicas preexistentes como asma, enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC), cardiopatías y diabetes.
  • Embarazadas
  • Lactantes y niños pequeños
  • Ancianos
  • Personas a las que se les haya diagnosticado una infección respiratoria

El humo de los incendios forestales también puede afectar a otras personas. Cada persona responde de forma diferente, así que escuche a su cuerpo y reduce tu exposición si el humo te está afectando.

Wild fire smoke poster

Infórmese sobre los efectos del humo de los incendios forestales en la salud y las formas de reducir la exposición.

Descargue el cartel sobre el humo de los incendios forestales

Protect yourself and others from wildfire smoke

  • Spend time indoors with filtered air

    • A  portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter or a do-it-yourself air cleaner can reduce indoor air pollution and provides the best protection from wildfire smoke. Use them in spaces where you spend the most time.
    • If you have a building air system, it may filter some but not all of the pollution from wildfire smoke. The amount of protection varies depending on the building.
    • Keep windows and doors closed to keep out smoky outdoor air, but make sure the space doesn’t get too hot.
    • Make sure your air cleaner is the right size for your space, and change the filters regularly.
    • If you don’t have an air cleaner or your home is too hot, spend time in public spaces with air conditioning, like community centres, libraries, and shopping malls.

  • Think about limiting outdoor activities

  • Watch for symptoms

    • Watch for symptoms such as coughing, wheezy breath or headaches. These are signs to take it easier.
    • Continue to manage existing health conditions such as asthma, COPD, heart disease, or diabetes. Use medications like inhalers as needed and seek medical care if symptoms persist.
    • Get medical help if you have chest discomfort, trouble breathing, severe coughing or wheezing, or dizziness.
    • Even if you are not impacted, remember to look out for others around you, particularly people at higher risk. 

  • Check air quality often

  • Stay cool

    • Hot weather and air pollution can often happen at the same time. Extreme heat is a bigger health risk for most people.
    • Keep cool by spending time in air-conditioned spaces and drinking plenty of water.
    • Check with your local government to find nearby cooling centers.

  • Consider wearing a well-fitted mask

    • If you need to be outside, consider wearing a well-fitted high-efficiency mask like an N95, KB95, or KF94 respirator.
    • Cloth masks with three layers or medical masks provide some protection, but not as much.
    • Single-layer masks, bandanas, scarves, and t-shirts do not protect you from wildfire smoke.
    • Masks can sometimes make breathing harder. If you feel unwell while using a mask for protection from smoke, stop any strenuous activity and go inside where the air is cleaner.

  • Protect indoor air quality

    • Building operators should have a smoke readiness plan based on ASHRAE 44 detailed guidance.
    • Operators of cleaner air facilities providing refuge from smoke should also refer to Health Canada Guidance.
    • If your building has a mechanical ventilation (HVAC) system, your smoke readiness plan can include actions to reduce outdoor air intake and upgrade air filters (highest rating possible, ideally minimum MERV 13). Make sure these changes do not reduce building pressure. 

  • Protect people you care for and outdoor event attendees

  • Protect outdoor workers and unhoused people

    • Employers can provide outdoor workers with high-quality masks, and adjust work to include regular breaks and indoor tasks where possible. It is important to support workers, monitor symptoms, and to stop outdoor work if needed.
    • WorkSafeBC provides guidance to protect workers from wildfire smoke and heat stress.
    • People experiencing homelessness have limited access to clean indoor air. Help protect health in our communities by allowing access to indoor community spaces for as long as possible

Guidance to buy or build an air cleaner

Air cleaners can improve the air that you breath indoors. You can purchase a portable air cleaner, or make one using the resources below. Research shows that well-constructed home-made air cleaners can remove fine particles similarly to commercial portable cleaners.

  • Tips for buying a portable air cleaner

    • Has a HEPA air filter — removes the small particles in wildfire smoke.
    • Ideally also has an activated carbon filter —carbon filters can reduce some gaseous pollutants.
    • Is certified by AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers).
    • Is appropriate for the room size — check the recommended maximum room size to make sure the one you buy is sized for your space. Multiple devices may be needed for larger rooms.
    • Does not produce ozone, a lung irritant. Some units use electrostatic precipitation or ionizing technologies that can create ozone gas. If the unit has these features, make sure it has been tested for ozone production or is certified for low ozone production by the California Air Resources Board.
    • Has ENERGY STAR designation to maximize energy efficiency.
    • Replace the air filter as recommended.

  • How to make a do-it-yourself (DIY) portable air cleaner?

    • Follow the Step by Step Guide from BREATHE,  a project of the BC Lung Foundation.
    • Use one DIY air cleaner per 150 to 500 square feet.
    • Replace the air filter every 3-6 months; watch out for filter discoloration, visible dirt or dust, or decreased air flow.
    • To read the evidence on DIY air cleaners and learn about other designs visit the BCCDC.  

Wildfire smoke resources for youth, children and pregnant people

Breathing in wildfire smoke during pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood can acutely impact the health of the child and the pregnant person. A growing body of research suggests that this may also have longer-term health effects. Pregnant people and those caring for young children should take extra care to try to limit exposure to wildfire smoke.

    • Protect children from wildfire smoke - poster

      Descargar

    • Protect children from wildfire smoke - postcard

      Descargar

    • Protect your baby from wildfire smoke - poster

      Descargar

    • Protect your baby from wildfire smoke - postcard

      Descargar

    • Ventilation and indoor air quality guide for schools and childcare facilities

      Descargar

    • WIldfire smoke guide for schools and childcare facilities

      Descargar

How to check local smoke conditions

  1. Check local air quality data: Visit the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) air quality map. Find your community on the map and locate the nearby air quality sensors, marked by colored shapes. Note the color and number of the sensor.
  2. Use the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI): Match the sensors color/number to the AQHI risk category (low, moderate, high or very high) to decide if you need to adjust your plans. Refer to the AQHI table below for steps to protect yourself and others from wildfire smoke.
  3. Check air quality often. Air quality can change throughout the day.

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI)

  • The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) can help people understand how air quality can affect their health, and how they can protect themselves when air quality is poor due to conditions including wildfire smoke.
  • The AQHI forecast can help you plan tomorrow’s outdoor activities.  
  • Learn more about how its calculated from this BCCDC Fact Sheet. 

Download the AQHI

AQHI-Air-Quality-Health-Index

Air quality warnings

Watch for these air quality notifications issued in the VCH region.

  • Within Metro Vancouver

    An Air Quality Warning is issued by Metro Vancouver when air quality over a large area of the region worsens, or is expected to worsen soon. 

    Visit this Metro Vancouver website to learn more about the types of warnings that are issued, how to know if there is smoke in the air, and how to stay up-to-date: Metro Vancouver - Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality

  • Outside of Metro Vancouver

    A Air Quality Warning is issued by BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy when areas of the province may be impacted by wildfire smoke within 24 to 48 hours.

Air quality maps in our region

  • Government Regulatory Sensor Map

    Measurements of fine particulate mater (PM2.5) are typically used to monitor wildfire smoke. This is because PM2.5 is an air pollutant consistently found in wildfire smoke, has known health impacts, and is measured by existing networks of government monitors.

    Data from these government monitors can be found here on the BC government site and here on the Metro Vancouver site.

  • Low-Cost Sensor Map

    Some Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) communities don’t have local government air quality monitoring stations to measure PM2.5. VCH works with community organizations to install portable air quality sensors for PM2.5, with a focus on rural, remote, and smaller communities that would otherwise have limited access to local air quality data. (Learn more about this VCH project, AQ-CARE.) 

    Click here for a map displaying PM2.5 data from both portable and government air quality monitors. Note that this map does not include all health-harming air pollutants that may lead to an air quality warning, but does provide a good indication of wildfire smoke conditions. 

Local weather, shelter, and emergency information

The best way to protect your health from wildfire smoke is to spend time in filtered indoor air. Close the windows and use a portable HEPA air cleaner or a DIY air cleaner. If you don’t have an air cleaner or your home is too hot, spend time in public spaces with air conditioning.

Many local governments and First Nations post updated information on their social media pages about cooler and cleaner air spaces or temporary shelters activated during the hot and smoky season.

Confirm with organizations directly if services or spaces are currently available. 

Learn where to find shelter, weather, and emergency information

More wildfire smoke resources

Find more information on the health effects of wildfire smoke, how to prepare for the season and ways to protect health from wildfire smoke.

The BCCDC website provides many factsheets for wildfire smoke. Key factsheets included under the BCCDC resource tab are: Health effects of wildfire smoke, How to prepare for the wildfire smoke season, Portable air cleaners for wildfire smoke, Wildfire smoke and Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), Wildfire smoke during extreme heat events, and Do-It-Yourself air cleaners.

    • Wildfire smoke: schools and childcare facilities

      Vancouver Coastal Health & Fraser Health

      Descargar

    • Wildfire smoke: community care facilities

      Descargar

    • Guidance for cleaner air spaces during wildfire smoke events

      Health Canada

      Visitar el sitio web

    • Planning framework for protecting commercial building occupants from smoke during wildfire events

      American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

      Ver documento

    • Postcard with tips for new parents and young children to protect against wildfire smoke

      Vancouver Coastal Health

      Descargar

    • Summer heat, wildfire smoke and health: Recommended actions for owners and managers of rental and strata housing

      Vancouver Coastal Health & Fraser Health

      Descargar

    • Outdoor gathering guidance for extreme heat and wildfire smoke events

      Vancouver Coastal Health & Fraser Health

      Descargar