Doctor Weighs In On Fires, Poor Air Quality
You may have noticed a thick cloud of smoke Monday night lingering from the brush fires across Idaho filling up your lungs. The sky is still hazy in many parts of eastern Idaho.
It’s causing minor irritation for the average Idahoan, but for anyone with asthma or lung issues it can be terrifying.
After more than 1,200 acres of Bannock County went up in smoke Monday night, the sky quickly filled with smoke and our lungs with poor air quality.
“If you’re healthy, you might notice a little irritation in the eyes, a little runny nose, or a cough,” said Doctor Lloyd Stolworthy with Idaho Urgent Care.
But, what if you’re not healthy? Dr. Stolworthy said it can prove to be an issue, especially if you have asthma, heart or lung disease.
He’s saw a patient come in early Tuesday morning with a nosebleed that wouldn’t subside.
“Initially we see people having problems breathing. They might have asthma attacks or use their inhaler more frequently,” said Stolworthy.
Even though you may not have been able to see the smoke and ash as clearly Tuesday as on Monday, it can prove to be an issue days later as patients start trickling in to the doctor.
“After three or four days, sometimes we’ll see people coming in with sinus infection, bronchitis or even pneumonia in some cases,” said Stolworthy.
To protect yourself from breathing as much polluted air as possible, Stolworthy recommends staying inside and turning on the air conditioner because it will filter some of the air, turning on a switch to circulate only inside air, and buying new air filters that specifically strain out smoke.
That’s what Bonaventure Senior Living in Idaho Falls has done. They’ve placed specialized filters on their vents to protect susceptible residents.
“The air quality is so much better and, as you’ve noticed since you’ve been in here, you don’t smell any smoke,” said Executive Director Joe Huskinson.
Stolworthy recommends if you don’t have air conditioning, find someone you know who does and stay with them for a few days.
To learn more about air quality, follow this link.
