REGIONAL — If you’ve spent much time outside in the North Country this summer, odds are you’ve caught yourself squinting at the sky – not because of the sun but because of the smoke. Thick haze has been a frequent visitor, with air quality alerts blanketing northern Minnesota for days on end.
But even with skies turning milky white and the smell of distant fire drifting through the air, hospitals in the region haven’t seen the wave of smoke-related health visits some might have expected.
Canadian wildfires continue to burn at historic levels, sending smoke south into Minnesota. As of Tuesday, the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported 754 active fires across the country, with 6.8 million hectares, or nearly 17 million acres, burned so far this season. Most of the fires remain uncontrolled, particularly in the western provinces, fueling the persistent haze blanketing parts of the upper Midwest.
With containment efforts stretched thin and dry conditions ongoing, more days of poor air quality in Minnesota are likely in the weeks ahead.
But the Timberjay checked with hospitals in Cook and Ely on Monday and found that neither has seen an increase in smoke-related ailments.
“We just had this conversation this last week with our medical staff, and we’re sort of surprised. We expected to see a little bit more exacerbation in some diseases like COPD or asthma and such,” said Colin Yahnke, chief nursing officer at Ely-Bloomenson Community Hospital.
Yahnke noted that despite the frequent air quality alerts, “we just aren’t seeing it right now, which is good. So, I think maybe people are doing good work.”
Some of that “good work” may come from community-level education and mitigation efforts. Jodi Martin, the hospital’s marketing and communications director, said a group called Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate has been active in the Ely area.
“They’ve given out a lot of information about how to build a box fan with a little filter on it and things like that to help people mitigate some of the wildfire smoke,” Martin said.
And when conditions do worsen, Yahnke said, the message from providers is simple: Pay attention to your body and your environment.
“If you don’t have the ability to improve your environment, and (your symptoms are) getting worse, seek medical attention,” he said.
Health professionals emphasize that wildfire smoke is no ordinary nuisance. It’s a serious health threat that can affect anyone, but particularly those with existing health issues.
“Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particulate matter from burning vegetation and materials,” the Minnesota Department of Health notes on its website. “The pollutant of most concern from wildfire smoke is fine particulate matter, PM 2.5. PM 2.5 from wildfire smoke is damaging to human health because it has the ability to deeply penetrate lung tissue and even affect the heart and circulatory system.”
It’s been estimated that the smoke inhaled on days where the air quality index (AQI) is between 100 and 200 that the particulate matter is the equivalent of smoking five to ten cigarettes.
Exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to a wide range of health problems, including asthma attacks, COPD flare-ups, and heart issues.
Emergency room visits for respiratory issues like asthma and COPD typically increase dramatically during wildfire smoke events, as much as doubling in some cases, which is why the lack of local reports is good news.
Older adults may experience both respiratory and cardiovascular effects. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that people over 65 were more likely to go to the ER with a range of cardiovascular problems, like heart attack, dysrhythmia, pulmonary embolism, and stroke, on or after dense smoke days.
Multiple groups have shown to be more susceptible to the health effects of wildfire smoke. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic illness are among the most vulnerable.
MDH explains that children are at greater risk in part because “there is a greater likelihood of increased exposure to wildfire smoke because of more time spent outdoors, engaging in more vigorous activity, and inhaling more air per pound of body weight compared to adults.”
Research has shown that wildfire-related PM2.5 can be up to ten times more harmful to children’s respiratory health than PM2.5 from other sources.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, wildfire smoke in children can cause “chest tightness or pain, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, coughing, irritation of the nose, throat, and eyes, [and] feeling dizzy or lightheaded.”
Pregnant women are also at increased risk. Exposure to PM2.5 from wildfire smoke during pregnancy has been linked to higher odds of giving birth prematurely. Babies born early are more likely to have immature lungs and developmental delays.
People with asthma and COPD may also experience prolonged health impacts, such as longer-lasting decreases in lung function. People with COPD in particular are encouraged to monitor their condition closely with tools like peak flow meters or pulse oximeters.
Health officials say that if the AQI is above 100, the general recommendation is to avoid outdoor exercise. If it rises above 150, wear a tight-fitting N95 mask outdoors and reduce exposure inside your home.
“When you talk about PM 2.5 particles, the N95 mask is well suited for that,” Yahnke said.
MDH recommends using a portable air cleaner and/or run central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems with the fresh-air intake closed/set on recirculate. They also recommend avoiding activities that increase indoor air pollution, such as smoking, frying or broiling food, burning candles or incense, using a gas stove or vacuuming.
For some high-risk individuals, additional precautions may be warranted. Some experts advise setting up a designated ‘clean room,’ with few windows and doors and its own portable HEPA air cleaner.
If symptoms arise or worsen, particularly shortness of breath, dizziness, or low oxygen levels, seek medical care immediately. And for those with asthma or COPD, “make sure you have your rescue inhaler with you,” MDH urges.
As Martin put it, “The biggest thing for us to always tell people is this – just pay attention to your body. If you feel like you need to seek medical attention, definitely seek medical attention. It’s always better safe than sorry.”