The smoke from the Mullen fire near Laramie is harmful to people without proper care.
“It’s a matter of paying attention to what’s posted online… It’s not just when you can smell the smoke” said Dr. Danielle Bruns, a UW professor in the College of Health Sciences who also researches the altitude’s effects on the heart, and indirectly on the lungs.
Bruns clarified that resources such as the Air Quality Index, also known as the AQI, and the Environmental Protection Agency are good resources for people to keep themselves educated.
The Air Quality Index provides current time updates of the air quality through color coding on maps. Red and maroon are considered to be severe conditions that are not suitable even for low risk people.
There can still be air pollutants from the smoke even when there does not appear to be any, said Bruns.
Bruns does not have exact knowledge of how smoke inhalation affects people or what the exact amount becomes dangerous for people. She said it is good to take precautions now, to stay informed, and avoid excessive work outside when the air is not good quality.
Everyone can be affected over time Bruns said, but among the most susceptible to the smoke are people with a pulmonary disease, the elderly, and young children.
Charles Myers, a junior majoring in Computer Sciences, said the smoke in Laramie had been bad the last two weeks.
Myers said in addition to avoiding going outside because of COVID, he now is also avoiding going outside when the Mullen fire smoke is prominent. He said that he has had to remember not to open windows in addition, but that he has not had to adapt any other way.
Bruns said wearing masks will help at least a little and using an air purifier or making your own with a box fan and a filter should also help.
According to the CDC, cloth masks will not keep out all air pollutants. Excessive exposure can irritate the lungs and even make people more vulnerable to respiratory infections like COVID.
CDC provides more information about how to keep exposure to the smoke down and how to keep up to date on air quality and the state of a nearby wildfire.
