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​ ​​person wearing and holding N95 mask


Get Smoke Ready

Protect Your Health from Smoke

Key Points

  • Plan ahead to protect yourself and your loved ones from smoke caused by fires.​
  • The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a tool that tells us how healthy the air is to breathe and what actions to take when the air is unhealthy.
  • During smoky conditions, stay indoors, keep your home’s indoor air as clean as possible or find a place with cleaner indoor air.
  • If you must go outdoors when it is smoky, wear a well-fitting N95.​

Smoke from Fires​

​Many Californians live in areas affected by fire and smoke. Some areas face frequent and intense wildfires and may also experience “prescribed fire." These are controlled fires set intentionally to reduce large, dangerous wildfires.

Other areas​ may have smoke from far-away wildfires travel to their community. No matter the source, air pollution from smoke can cause health problems.

This Get Smoke Ready page is about learning to protect yourself from smoke when there is not an emergency in your area.​


​Visit ​the CDPH Center for Preparedness and Response website for emergency-related wildfire resources. This website can help you prepare for emergency evacuation when there is a wildfire. ​


Smoke and health

Breathing smoke can cause health effects from mild irritation to serious health problems. For more information, see How smoke threatens or harms health.

Smoke is unhealthy for everyone, but some people are more sensitive or more vulnerable to smoke. For more information, see Who is most affected by smoke​.​​​​​

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Get ready for smoke​

smoke seen from a distance from highway Follow these steps to prepare for smoky conditions.

Make a plan for yourself and your household

  • If possible, plan for children, older adults, pregnant people, or anyone with heart or lung conditions to leave the area when smoke is heavy and long-lasting.
  • If leaving isn’t possible, prepare ways to stay safe indoors.

Stock up on equipment and supplies

  • Stock up on N95 masks (also known as respirators) ​and replacement filters for air conditioning systems.
  • Buy a portable air cleaner (marked “CARB certified"), or materials to make an air cleaner at home.

CARB certified label

​See detailed sections below on N95 masks, air conditioners​ and portable air cleaners to buy or make.​

Plan for health

person holding inhaler

  • ​Keep a 7- to 10-day supply of medications on hand.
  • Follow asthma or COPD action plans.
  • Have oxygen tanks at home for people who use them.
  • Ask for your health care provider’s advice about what to do during smoky conditions if you have heart or lung conditions.

Learn about resources in your community

  • Find out if there are clean air centers in your community for when it is smoky.
  • Identify the closest cooling center, mall or movie theater that has air conditioning for when it’s very hot.
  • Find out whether your local air district or health agencies can help provide N95 masks or air cleaners to those who need them.
  • Check if there are weatherization programs that can help you prepare your home to keep smoke out.

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When the air is smoky

Stay informed

  • Pay attention to fire, smoke and air quality-related public service announcements, health advisories and air quality advisories.
  • Learn to monitor wildfires, smoke and air quality using news, radio, websites, phone apps and social media.
smoke covering trees
  • Check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map online for smoke and air quality information.
  • If you own a smart phone, download the Watch Duty, Smoke Spotter and AirNow smart phone apps. On the AirNow app, the smoke icon at the bottom right of the screen takes you to the Fire and Smoke Map.
  • Learn to use the Air Quality Index (AQI) when it is smoky. See the section below on the AQI.​

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Use the Air Quality Index (AQI)​

The Air Quality Index (AQI) shows how healthy air is to breathe in your area. It uses colors and numbers from 0 to 500 to describe air quality. More fine particles from smoke (PM2.5​) lead to higher AQI numbers. The higher the AQI level, the less healthy it is for all people.

You can find the AQI on the weather app of your cell phone. You can also find it online at www.AirNow.gov, and on the AirNow mobile phone app.

The table below shows the AQI colors and numbers and tells you what you can do to help protect yourself from smoke.

AQI chart showing levels

​Sensitive groups include:

  • Children
  • Older adults
  • Pregnant people
  • Outdoor workers
  • People with health or lung disease, including asthma

Very sensitive groups are people who fit in one or more of the groups listed above.

You can use the AQI to decide which of the steps listed below to take to avoid breathing smoke.

  • Spend less time outside
  • Avoid active play or hard labor outside
  • Wear a high-quality mask outside [link to masking]
  • Filter indoor air [link to clean air rooms] and close windows and doors if it is not too hot.
  • Go to a place with clean air [link to clean air centers]

For AQI and air quality videos in English and Spanish, visit

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​Masking

Person wearing a mask in smoky condtions returning from food shopping with groceries

If you must go outside when it is smoky, wear an N95 mask (also known as a respirator). N95s have head straps to help make a tight fit around the face. This helps filter out small particles like smoke.

Adults should choose an N95 that is approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and specific markings.  Learn how to use an N95 Respirator (CDC).

If N95s are not an option, consider using a KN95. KN95s provide less protection than N95s because they have ear loops and provide a less-snug fit. Surgical and cloth masks do not offer protection against smoke from fires.

Masking resources:

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Children and smoke protection​

children holdin up air quality signs

Children under age 2 should not wear a mask. Masks can be worn safely by children 2 years of age and older. Choose a mask for your child that has the best protection, best fit, and one your child will wear. Masks should fit over the nose and under the chin with no gaps around the edges.

Resources on protecting children from smoke

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Stay indoors in a clean air space

When outdoor air is unhealthy to breathe, it is best to stay indoors. Even with doors and windows closed, some smoke can still get inside. You can take additional steps to keep air in your home healthier when it’s smoky outside. Below are ways to keep indoor air cleaner.

Avoid activities that can add indoor air pollution

When you stay indoors because outdoor air is unhealthy to breathe, avoid the following activities:

  • Smoking and vaping.
  • Using gas, propane or wood-burning stoves and furnaces.
  • Using spray cleaners, air fresheners or other products that may add fumes.
  • Frying or broiling food.
  • Burning candles or incense.
  • Vacuuming, unless you use a vacuum with a High Efficiency Particulate Filter (HEPA) filter.
  • Using ozone-generating air cleaners.

Cleaning with a damp cloth or mop can help prevent dust and particles from being redistributed in your home. Use the stove hood or fan while cooking if you have one.

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Create a clean room​

Create a clean room by picking one room in your home to keep as free from smoke as possible. Take these 5 steps to create a clean room:

  • Choose a room that can be closed off.
  • Close doors and windows to keep outside air from coming in.
  • Keep the room cool with fans or air conditioning if you can.
  • Filter the air using a portable air cleaner or central air conditioning (HVAC) system set to re-circulate.
  • Avoid activities that add to indoor air pollution (see above for examples).

For more information on how to create a clean air room, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s website on how to Create a Clean Room to Protect Indoor Air Quality During a Wildfire. Below are images of indoor air cleaning equipment.

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​Air conditioner filters

​Portable air cleaner

​Do-it-yourself (DIY) air cleaners
​MERV 13 filters​​
 ​Portable air cleaner
 ​Do-it-yourself air cleaner with one filterBox Fan 4 Sides.jpg
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Optional indoor clean air steps​

Below are optional steps you can take to keep your indoor air cleaner if you have the equipment. They are presented in order. Adjusting an air conditioner is best, if you have one. Using or making a portable air cleaner is also helpful.​​​

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Find a clean air center

Communities that have clean air centers provide a free and safe place for people to go during periods of intense smoke or air pollution. This is an option if you cannot stay cool at home, if the electricity goes out, or if too much smoke is entering your home. Use the interactive Clean Air Centers Map to find a clean air center near you.

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Combined smoke and extreme heat

Sometimes it can be both extremely hot and smoky. During high temperatures, heat-related illness can happen quickly and can be life threatening.

It can be a challenge to keep smoke out of a home when it’s hot, especially if you don’t have air conditioning. For recommendations on what to do when it is hot and smoky, review Protect Yourself from Smoke and Extreme Heat | US EPA.

To check your area’s current and forecasted heat risk and find suggested precautions, see CDC’s HeatRisk and CalHeatScore.

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Protect workers from smoke​

The California Occupational Safety and Health Program (Cal/OSHA) has a law that requires employers to protect workers from unhealthy levels of wildfire smoke.

Employers must take steps to protect workers from wildfire smoke if:

  1. Air Quality Index for PM2.5 is 151 or higher in the workplace, and
  2. They can expect that workers will breathe in wildfire smoke.

Employers must figure out how much wildfire smoke workers would potentially breathe on the job, discuss how wildfire smoke affects health, and train workers on how to protect themselves from wildfire smoke. Employers are also required to take steps to protect workers, such as providing N95s.

For more details about the law and employers’ requirements, please review Protection from Wildfire Smoke (5141.1) and Cal/OSHA’s factsheet on what to do for Workers Exposed to Wildfire Smoke Hazards. 

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Keep pets safe​

Two puppies​​If you feel the effects of smoke, your pets probably do as well. When it is smoky out, keep pets indoors and keep the indoor air as clean as possible, just as you would to protect people. 

Review these US EPA resources Protect Your Pets from Wildfire Smoke (English) / Proteja a sus mascotas del humo de los incendios forestales (Spanish).

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Chemicals in smoke

Wildfires in populated areas can burn buildings, vehicles, and other man-made materials, releasing toxic chemicals into the air. The Air Quality Index (AQI) does not track every toxic chemical in smoke, only a selection of common pollutants like PM2.5 and Ozone.

During smoke events, a high AQI tells you when the air is unhealthy to breathe, but not which toxic chemicals may be present. (The AQI for PM2.5 tells you when particle pollution is high, but it doesn’t tell you what the particles in the smoke are made of.)

However, if you stay indoors and avoid breathing smoke when the AQI is high, you could also limit your exposure to other toxic chemicals in smoke.

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Control what you can for healthier lungs

You can’t always control how much smoke you breathe. But you can take all possible precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones when it is smoky. You can keep your lungs as healthy as possible by not smoking and avoiding all smoke from tobacco products.

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Resources​

Smoke resources

Related CDPH pages

Related CDPH programs

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