New Hampshire's air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups on Tuesday, marking the third day in a row with unhealthy air caused by smoke from wildfires in Western Canada.
The levels of fine particulate matter from the smoke can travel deep into a person’s lungs.
“People with preexisting conditions, such as asthma or other existing lung diseases, may not be able to breathe as deeply or as vigorously as normal,” said Kathleen Simmons, the state's senior air quality scientist.
For sensitive groups, like children, older adults, people with lung disease, or people outdoors, officials recommend reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outside.
Canadian wildfires impacting air quality may seem like a summer routine now. But Simmons says her team has started needing to keep track of fires and smoke just in the past five years, as air quality issues became more common.
“We're seeing impacts here in the Northeast like we haven't before,” she said, “so now it's part of our daily forecasting regime.”
As human-caused climate change heats up the atmosphere, hotter weather, earlier snow melt, and decreasing summer rain have all contributed to an increase in fire activity, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Here are some resources on how to stay safe with unhealthy air quality:
- Check the air quality in New Hampshire here or here.
- The CDC has recommendations for how to keep smoke out of your home. The EPA has this guide to making your own home filter.
- And some more tips from Johns Hopkins University.
