The North Georgia wildfires continue to affect metro Atlanta's air quality, which has worsened so far this week and reached the "Unhealthy" range.
Experts are telling residents that while they don't have to completely stay inside, they should limit their outdoor activities to avoid exposure to the Atlanta smoke. This applies not only to higher-risk groups, which include children, the elderly and those with heart or lung disease, but also to young, healthy adults.
Why? This mixture of gases and fine particles from trees and other plants can irritate your eyes and respiratory system no matter your age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s what you need to know about staying healthy during these smoky conditions:
Understanding the air quality levels
The Air Quality Index was 167 in metro Atlanta just before 9:30 p.m. on Monday and 163 on Tuesday morning. That falls in the “Unhealthy” category, a more serious designation than the earlier code orange indicating conditions are “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.” The "Very Unhealthy" range starts at 201.
This measurement is recorded at AirNow, an Environmental Protection Agency site that uses data from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
At the "Unhealthy" level, everyone may begin to experience health effects and should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion.
"This is not the time to be outside jogging, even if you're in your 20s and are perfectly healthy," said Dr. Patrick O'Neal, director of health protection for the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Who is at risk?
The risk is hard to predict from hour to hour, O'Neal said. Smoke is typically closer to the ground around dawn and dusk, so these times of day may be problematic. But that can be misleading, he said, because the smoke and air quality conditions are related to wind current, which changes sporadically without much notice.
The Georgia smoke may have spread more widely than many people realize. O'Neal said he traveled to Savannah last Friday and was surprised that his eyes were burning from the smoke while in the coastal city.
With that being said, healthy people don't necessarily need to stay indoors, but they should avoid heavy exertion, he said. The greatest risk is to people who already have heart or lung disease, as well as the elderly and the very young. Children's air passages are smaller than adults', so they're much more susceptible to having problems, he said. O'Neal recommends children stay inside for recess until the air quality improves.
Dr. Kathleen Sheerin with Atlanta Allergy & Asthma has already seen several patients complaining of symptoms, including one who had an asthma attack.
When air quality levels reach the unhealthy point, anyone can experience symptoms with prolonged exposure, she said.
"That means it can bother everybody. Not only does it smell, it irritates your eyes and nose," she said. "Even if you don't have respiratory illnesses, if you stay out in it long enough, you can have symptoms."
Steps to take
The Health Department suggests the following precautionary steps:
- Be aware of local air quality reports
- Limit outdoor activities
- Keep windows and doors closed in your home and car as much as possible
- Run your air conditioner if needed, but keep the fresh air intake closed and make sure your filter is clean
- Avoid vacuuming, which stirs up particles that are already inside your home
- Don't rely on dust masks you find in hardware stores, because they're not made to trap small particles such as those found in wildfire smoke. Instead, reach for disposable respirators, which should be marked with a "N95" or "P100" label. You can find these at hardware stores and retailers such as Wal-Mart.
- Take special care if you have health conditions such as asthma
Symptoms to watch out for
The DPH also suggests looking out for the following signs that you, an older person or child in your care is being affected by the smoke:
- Coughing
- Scratchy throat
- Irritated sinuses
- Runny nose
- Stinging eyes
- Chest pains, palpitations or shortness of breath
- Phlegm, chest discomfort or wheezing
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