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Outdoor air quality has improved in the past several decades, but many challenges remain in protecting Americans from air quality problems. Ground-level ozone and particle pollution (including smoke) are just two of the many threats to air quality and public health in the United States. Summit County Environmental Health recommends various strategies for reducing air quality impacts from smoke. To control impacts from smoke, Environmental Health and the local fire authority must issue permits for any open burning.
According to the USFS, “…Longer fire seasons; bigger fires and more acres burned …have become the norm.” Where there is fire, there is smoke as we’ve seen in Colorado.
The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles or particulate matter. Smoke can come from a variety of sources including wildfire events, planned burning such as prescribed fires or burning in a fireplace or stove.
Health officials have long known there is an association with upper respiratory ED visits and fine particulate matter, or more specifically smoke, exposure. A November 2016 study noted, “… smoke exposure to be associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ED visits for all adults, particularly for those over aged 65 years”. The risk of heavy smoke can very quickly create a vulnerability in the health care system if not anticipated. Learn more about smoke.