Wildfire smoke can pose a serious health risk, especially with prolonged exposure.

While wildfires can cause immediate destruction to homes and towns, a few weeks of smoke exposure should not have long-term effects for most healthy people, according toReza Ronaghi, MD, a pulmonologist in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

“Being exposed to chronic fires and poor air quality over many years can lead to lung disease and emphysema,” Ronaghi said. “But these have to be high doses of exposure and over many years of exposure—being exposed once or twice a year will not lead to any long-term major illnesses.”

People with underlying respiratory conditions, such asasthmaandchronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are more vulnerable to wildfire smoke exposure.

For most people, significant or frequent wildfire smoke exposure will not lead to a serious complication like COPD, but it’s possible, saidChristopher Worsham, MD, MPH, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Harvard Medical School. He said wildfire smoke inhalation over time is similar to smoking cigarettes in volume.

“One of the major problems that people who smoke encounter is COPD,” Worsham said. “In America, that is often related to smoking, but worldwide, inhalation of the particulates in the air is the major cause of COPD. That means irreversible injury to the lung that can worsen over time.”

In addition to the lungs, wildfire smoke may also increase the risk ofheart attacksandstrokes.

“Particulates from the smoke can be found in the blood and may cause issues with the lining of blood vessels, so I would certainly be aware of the potential impact on the rest of the body as well," saidLakshman Swamy, MD, MBA,pulmonary and critical care physician at Boston Medical Center.

Wildfire Smoke More Dangerous for Your Lungs Than Other Pollution

How To Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

“The best thing is to stay indoors and avoid going outside and being exposed to the fires—but, if one does have to go outside, then wearing a mask is very important,” Ronaghi said. “However, not every mask is useful, and an N95 mask is needed to provide the greatest protection.”

Regular surgical masks and face coverings that have become common due to COVID-19 do not help protect againstpoor air qualitydue to wildfire smoke.

“Only an N95 mask that has been fitted to the individual can provide a great seal that is needed to prevent smoke from getting in,” Ronaghi said.

It’s also a good idea to make all the openings and cracks in your house are covered to prevent the smoke from entering the house, he added.

If you’re experiencing symptoms like dizziness, vomiting, or coughing, you should seek medical care immediately.Shortness of breathis also concerning, but you may not notice it right away, according to Worsham.

Cloth Face Masks Won’t Protect From Wildfire Smoke, Says CDC

What This Means For YouWildfire smoke is especially dangerous if you have an underlying respiratory condition such as asthma or COPD. While short-term exposure may not lead to lasting harm for most healthy individuals, prolonged or frequent exposure could increase the risk of lung and cardiovascular issues. To protect yourself, stay indoors during wildfire events, use properly fitted N95 masks when outdoors, and seal your home to reduce smoke infiltration.

What This Means For You

Wildfire smoke is especially dangerous if you have an underlying respiratory condition such as asthma or COPD. While short-term exposure may not lead to lasting harm for most healthy individuals, prolonged or frequent exposure could increase the risk of lung and cardiovascular issues. To protect yourself, stay indoors during wildfire events, use properly fitted N95 masks when outdoors, and seal your home to reduce smoke infiltration.

1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Wildfire smoke and COVID-19.

1 Source

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Wildfire smoke and COVID-19.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Wildfire smoke and COVID-19.

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