Health Impacts from Smoke

Outdoor Activity Guidelines based on Air Quality
Health Effects Categories Good Moderate Unhealthy for sensitive groups* Unhealthy Very Unhealthy/Hazardous
Visibility (miles) 13+ 9-13 5-9 2-5 Less than 2
Nowcast Concentration Less than 12 12-35 35-55 55-150 150+
Outdoor Activity: 15-30 minutes No limitations No limitations

Sensitive groups should remain indoords as much as possible.

If outdoors, limit vigorous activity

 Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible. Keep indoor activity levels light to moderate. If outdoors, keep activity levels light. Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible. Keep indoor acitivity levels light
Outdoor Activity: 1 hour No limitations Monitor sensitive groups and limit their vigorous activities.

Sensitive groups should remain indoords as much as possible.

If outdoors, limit vigorous activity

 Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible. Find alternative indoor activities in an environment with good air quality. Keep indoor activity levels light.  Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible. Find alternative indoor activities in an environment with good air quality. Keep indoor activity levels light to moderate. 
Outdoor Activity: 2-4 hours No limitations Monitor sensitive groups and limit their vigorous activities.

Sensitive groups should remain indoors as much as possible. If outdoors, sensitive groups should keep activities light and avoid activities over 2 hours.

Consider moving practices and events indoors. If events are not cancelled, increase rest periods to allow for lower breathing rates.

 Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible. Find alternative indoor activities in an environment with good air quality. Keep indoor activity levels light. Everyone should remain indoors as much as possible. Reschedule events or relocate to an area with good qir quality. Keep indoor activity levels light.

Visit www.todaysair.mt.gov for local air quality conditions and more information.

Examples of Activities
Light Activities: Walking, stretching, playing board/card games, dancing slowly, light yard work
Moderate Activities: Brisk walking, yoga, gymnastics, tennis, skateboarding, weight training, light biking/hiking, hunting, canoeing, swimming
Vigorous Activities: Aerobics, running/jogging, competitive sports, swimming, digging, biking uphill, wheeling a wheelchair

 

*For the purpose of this document, sensitive groups include:
  •  Children (ages -17 years). Children may be more sensitive to air pollution, as their lungs are still developing and they may have an unknown underlying health condition.
  • People with chronic conditions. People with chronic conditions, such as asthma or another respiatory disease, or cardiovascularl disease, may be more sensitive to air pollution and should talk with their healthcare provider about managing their condition. People with chronic conditions should be medically managing their condition during air quality that is unhealthy for sensetive groups or worse. People with asthma shoudl be following the Asthma Action Plan in all conditions. 
  • Pregnant women. During pregnancy, changes to a woman's body my increase vulnerablility to environmental exposures. Additionally, during critical windows of human development, a mother's prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke may hare the developing fetus.
  • Older aduts. Older adutls are at increase risk of health effects from short-term exposures to wildfire smoke because of their thigher prevalence of pre-existing lung and heart diseases.