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Air Quality During Wildfires

Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds of miles and settle over farms far from any flames. Knowing where to check air quality helps you plan the workday.

How does wildfire smoke affect people?

Smoke is a mixture of gases and tiny particles. The particles are small enough to enter deep into the lungs and, according to health agencies, can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and make asthma, heart and lung conditions worse.

Farm work often means hard physical effort outdoors, which increases how much air you breathe in. That raises exposure compared with someone resting indoors on the same day.

People with asthma, heart disease or lung disease, children, older adults and pregnant people are often named by health agencies as more affected by smoke, so check on them first.

Where can you check air quality?

The EPA and local public health agencies publish air quality information, and the National Weather Service issues alerts and forecasts. Use official sources, since social media posts and photos of orange skies are not reliable measures of what you are breathing.

Look for the color-coded air quality categories explained on the official site, and read the guidance for each level there. This article does not list the category cutoffs, because they should come directly from the current EPA information.

• EPA air quality information
• Your state or county health department
• National Weather Service alerts
• Local emergency management notices

How should you adjust farm work on smoky days?

Livestock still need care, and many tasks cannot wait. Prioritize essential chores, and consider moving heavy exertion to times when official reports show better air. Take breaks indoors where air is cleaner, and watch yourself and coworkers for symptoms.

Talk with your crew before smoke arrives so everyone knows the plan: who checks conditions, who decides when to cut back, and how people can speak up if they feel unwell.

Heat adds to the strain. If smoke and high temperatures arrive together, be extra careful with water, shade and rest breaks, and watch for signs of heat illness.

Do masks help against smoke?

Not every mask helps. Cloth and surgical masks are not designed to filter the fine particles in smoke. Some respirators are designed for particles, but they must be the right type, fitted correctly, and used with attention to medical advice.

The CDC and OSHA both discuss respirator use during wildfire smoke. Check their current guidance and ask a health provider if you have heart or lung disease, since breathing through a respirator adds effort.

How can you clean the air at home and in vehicles?

Keep a cleaner-air space for your family, particularly for children, older adults, pregnant people and anyone with asthma or heart or lung conditions. Closing windows and doors and setting heating and cooling systems to recirculate can help, within the limits of heat safety.

Portable air cleaners and filters are available, and the EPA explains how to choose and use them safely. Avoid devices that produce ozone, and avoid adding indoor smoke from candles or cooking that burns heavily.

Do not use fans or equipment that pull smoky outdoor air into the house unless your health department says it is appropriate.

When is smoke an emergency?

Severe shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion, fainting, or an asthma attack that does not respond to the person's prescribed medicine calls for urgent help. Call 911.

If you are told to evacuate because of fire, follow local emergency management instructions immediately. Do not delay to finish chores. Livestock evacuation planning should be done well ahead with your county emergency office.

Pets and livestock are affected too. Ask your veterinarian how smoke can affect your animals and what to watch for.

How do you prepare ahead of the smoke season?

Preparation is easier than improvisation. Decide in advance how you will check air quality each morning, who has authority to modify the workday, and where people can go for cleaner air. Put those decisions in writing and share them with your crew and family.

Review your supply of prescribed medications for anyone with asthma or heart or lung conditions, and talk with their health providers about a plan for smoky days. A health provider can tell you what is right for each person; general advice cannot.

Ask your county emergency management about alerts you can sign up for, and keep a battery or crank radio in case power fails. Smoke events often overlap with heat, so plan for both.

• Daily air quality check assigned to one person
• Written plan for adjusting work
• Medication supply review
• Emergency alert sign-up

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Farm Safety Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.