Expert Health Tips You Need to Know
by Dr. Edison de Mello, MD, PhD
Health risks don’t disappear after an urban wildfire just because the smoke clears and air quality readings improve. It’s essential to stay cautious.
If you can smell smoke or see ash, wearing an N95 mask is crucial to protect yourself from the immediate effects of inhaling urban wildfire smoke. The same applies if you’re at or near a burned or smoke-damaged property.
Even one intense exposure to smoke and particulates can lead to lasting health issues. These include a higher risk of reactive airway disease, inflammatory conditions, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and other serious respiratory and cardiovascular problems. It’s worth noting that the long-term health impacts of certain substances released during major urban wildfires are still being studied.
People in areas affected by urban wildfires throughout Los Angeles should take precautions. Wearing a high-quality, well-fitting mask outdoors is a wise measure to continue for days or even weeks after the fire.
You Need to Know this….
Even after an urban wildfire is under control and air quality improves, significant health risks can remain. It’s important to stay vigilant.
If you can smell smoke or see ash, wearing an N95 mask is essential to protect yourself from the harmful effects of wildfire smoke. This precaution also applies when visiting or working near burned or smoke-damaged areas.
Even brief but intense exposure to smoke and particulates can have long-term health consequences. These include increased risks of reactive airway disease, inflammation, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, and other severe respiratory and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, researchers are still studying the full extent of the long-term effects of toxins released during urban wildfires.
In areas affected by wildfires, wearing a high-quality, well-fitted mask outdoors is strongly recommended for days or weeks afterward to safeguard your health.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Family
Suppose you’ve already been exposed to poor air quality after a wildfire. In that case, there’s still time to protect yourself, minimize further exposure by staying indoors as much as possible, limiting outdoor activities, and wearing a properly fitted N95 respirator mask—or even higher-rated protection, like a P100—when you do need to go outside. While a high-quality KN95 mask can provide significant protection, more substantial filtration is advised if you’re near burn sites or areas where ash is present.
It’s essential to understand what these masks can and can’t do. N95 masks effectively filter particulates but don’t protect against vapors or gases released by fires. Masks may also fall short against some fibers, like asbestos, which can be as small as 0.1 microns—well below the 0.3-micron threshold for N95 and P100 masks. On the other hand, larger particles, such as heavy metals like lead, are typically filtered effectively when these masks are worn properly.
Consider your exposure in terms of time and proximity to the burn site. If you’ve had significant initial exposure to smoke or particulates and are returning to the area, wearing a mask is a wise precaution. Certain groups face higher risks and should take extra care, including infants, children, pregnant individuals, older adults, and those with preexisting respiratory or cardiovascular conditions like asthma or COPD. If you have concerns about your personal risk, it’s always best to consult a physician.
There is a need for caution, even when AQI readings appear low, wearing a mask whenever AQI levels are above 40 (well below the “moderate” range of 51 to 100), due to the index’s inability to measure all harmful pollutants. Even healthy, young individuals should take wildfire exposure seriously, as the long-term risks—including potentially carcinogenic substances—are not fully understood.
Finally, the fit of your mask matters just as much as its filtration. That’s why a tight seal mask ensures maximum protection. While cloth masks are ineffective, high-quality KN95 masks may better fit children with smaller faces. For families, choosing the right mask for each member is essential to staying protected.
By taking these precautions, you can reduce the risk of both immediate and long-term health effects, ensuring better safety for yourself and your loved ones.
“We meet our Patients Before We meet the Dis-eases”
At Akasha, we aim to inspire people to live in alignment with themselves and the Earth because when we heal ourselves, we heal the world around us. By offering treatments that blend the best of modern medicine with the wisdom of Eastern and integrative Medicine approaches, we empower our patients to thrive in ways that honor their health, the health of the collective, and the environment. Akasha is a place for people to find balance, reconnect with themselves, and live more mindful lives in harmony with the planet. In this way, each step toward personal wellness becomes a step toward global wellness.
Discover how to nurture your passion and improve your health by scheduling a consultation with one of our integrative medicine practitioners at Akasha Center. Together, we can help you align your actions with your values and live your most fulfilled life.
About the author:
Dr. Edison de Mello – the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Akasha Center in Santa Monica – is a Board-Certified Integrative Physician and licensed Psychotherapist. He’s treated patients from across the spectrum using his signature. East-meets-west approach. He writes for various publications and is a frequent guest on integrative medicine podcasts. He believes physicians should always Meet their patients before Meeting their Dis-EASE, a belief that he puts into practice every day. His latest book, BLOATED: How to Eat Without Pain, is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Akasha Center.
