The region has been dealing with wildfire smoke in the air over the last days and weeks, with fires burning everywhere from Brooklyn to the Bronx to New Jersey. We don’t just smell smoke in the air, we also feel it in our lungs. Wildfires contaminate the air with pollutants and drive up the air quality index, which is a measure of how safe it is to breathe outside.
Dr. Barbara Mann is a pulmonologist at the Mount Sinai National Jewish Health Respiratory Institute. She’s also an associate professor of medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. She joined WNYC’s David Furst for “Morning Edition” on Wednesday to talk about the current state of the air we breathe.
The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
David Furst: I’m happy to say that rain might be making things much better on this front. We saw some last night. We’ll see more tonight and tomorrow. But over the last several weeks, people in our area have gotten sporadic alerts from local officials about wildfire smoke and air quality. What impacts does smoke exposure have to people in the short term?
Dr. Barbara Mann: Hi, thanks for having me. In the short term, the biggest effects people might feel are itchy eyes, runny nose, wheezing, coughing — effects like that. But more serious effects can include things like asthma exacerbations, increased risk of respiratory infections. We also see an increased risk of cardiovascular issues like heart attack and arrhythmias.
How quickly do those effects become a concern? You know, this really changes when people are exposed to smoke over a prolonged period of time, right?
Sure. I mean, the greatest effects are over a long period of time, but even short term exposures in people who are at high risk can cause effects like respiratory, increased exacerbations from asthma, COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], and cardiovascular disease.
For people with respiratory illnesses, should they come up with a plan with their doctor if smoky conditions persist or if they return?
Sure. I mean, I think one big part of that is keeping an eye on the air quality index. When it gets high, planning to do activities indoors. If you can’t do that, planning on what you’ll do if your respiratory conditions get worse. Things like using your rescue inhaler, potentially having a low threshold to treat respiratory infections.
Yeah. I always read that: Don’t go outside as much, but there are some of those smoky days where even inside, I’m smelling it inside as well.
Oh, definitely. And there’s things that you can do to improve the air quality indoors. One, obviously, is keeping the windows closed, but also you might want to invest in a high-quality air filter. Try to avoid things that make the indoor air quality worse. And this may seem obvious, but don’t burn things inside. Don’t smoke, don’t light candles, don’t burn incense, don’t use indoor fireplaces when the air quality outside is bad.
So for people without any known respiratory related illnesses who may not be used to thinking about this stuff, thinking deeply about air quality. When would it be time to contact a doctor if you’re feeling any symptoms. It’s tough, right? Because sometimes we cough and we’re not immediately thinking about the air quality.
Definitely. I mean, I would say if you’re having increased shortness of breath that’s not getting better. Increased cough that’s not getting better. And then also things like chest pain and palpitations, those would be reasons to contact your doctor. It’s not just pulmonary issues because those particles are so small, they get deep into your lungs and can get into your bloodstream. And that’s why we see an increased risk of things like cardiovascular issues, like heart attack.
Are you concerned that events like the one we’re currently living through are likely to become more common? And are there any personal precautions people can take as we approach a future where this is maybe happening a lot more often?
Yeah, definitely. It’s becoming more common with the increased temperatures and drier climate. The Clean Air Act has largely improved the air quality in most parts of the United States over the last few decades, but those gains have been diminished by the increased wildfires. And I think we’re going to see more and more of this. So things that people can do: Again, invest in a high quality air filter, and just keep an eye on the air quality index and plan your activities accordingly.
Are you making adjustments? Are you thinking about this as you’re walking around?
I am. It’s hard. You know, most of the things I do for my physical and mental health involve things outside, like running outside, walking to and from work. I mean, last weekend I went outside for a run, and the air looked beautiful. It was a crisp day, but it smelled like a campfire, and when I got home, I realized the air quality was pretty bad, and probably it would have been better not to have done that.