WILDFIRES

With Arizona fires, is the air safe to breathe?

Olivia Munson
Arizona Republic

Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referenced the visibility rule. It is 5-3-1.

Recent Arizona wildfires have made the biggest impact on regional air quality and, as the smoke continues to spread, other areas may be affected as well, according to weather experts.

"The Telegraph Fire and the Mescal Fire that are burning by Globe are actually causing moderate to high smoke impacts in the communities of Globe-Miami and Safford," said Matt Pace, air quality meteorologist with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

"What we are going to see over the next several days is that smoke continuing to disperse to the north northeast, so that will also mean some air quality impacts to Whiteriver, Show Low, Alpine and Eagar," he continued.

As of Monday, the Telegraph Fire consumed more than 56,600 acres, growing by about 16,000 acres since Sunday evening and prompting additional evacuations, according to Tonto National Forest and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Likewise, the Mescal Fire has grown by around 14,000 acres, consuming approximately 52,800 acres since Sunday, according to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Marvin Percha, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Phoenix, said smoke within those regions is "pushing visibilities below a mile," making it harder for individuals to see properly.

Pace said prior to these fires, the air quality for most of the eastern side of Arizona was in the "good category," but now there has been "quite a difference in air quality."

Phoenix air quality was not "significantly affected" by the recent fires, Percha said. After a six-alarm recycling center fire sent dark smoke into the air last weekend, Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson Todd Keller advised people to "avoid the area" where the fire occurred.

Although the rest of the state was not seeing a major impact by these fires, experts said it was important for everyone to take precautions when it comes to smoke awareness.

How smoke impacts health

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, even though smoke may seem far away, you should still pay attention to it.

The small particles in wildfire smoke can cause burning eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, headaches and illness, such as bronchitis, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

It can also worsen preexisting heart and lung disease, including asthma, emphysema and COPD. Those who are at risk for wildfire smoke are those with heart or lung diseases, children and older people.

Pace said these smoke forecasts will be issued for wildfires that are expected to produce air quality impacts for longer periods of time, from 48 hours and above. In these forecasts, there is an activity meter which advises people in the area what to do to avoid smoke impacts.

The three levels of precaution include:

  • Level one: "stay smoke aware"
  • Level two: "minimize outdoor activities"
  • Level three: stay inside

Pace said people should stay aware of what the current smoke conditions are and, if you are in an area where there is potential smoke, check visibility in your surroundings.

"There is something called the 5-3-1 rule," he said. "So 5 (miles of visibility) certainly you can see smoke, if you are sensitive you want to limit your outdoor activity. At 3 miles, that's when you probably want to really stay indoors and when it gets down to 1 mile, that is when absolutely everyone should stay indoors or try to move to a different location."

How to be smoke aware

Percha said with the smoke being as bad as it could be in some areas of the state, it is best to stay indoors and make sure windows are closed to prevent any smoke or other contaminants from coming into the home.

He also said that some air conditioning systems can, unfortunately, bring smoke into the house, so try to limit their operation to keep it out.

Similarly when it comes to smoke awareness, Pace advised to get indoors and shut windows, avoid any strenuous activities and, if possible, leave the area.

"Wherever you can see the smoke and smell the smoke that is certainly when you want to stay smoke aware," he said. "If you are smelling smoke, you're obviously breathing smoke."

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has hourly updated air quality reports for various cities in the state, including Phoenix and Tucson.

The department also has "wildfire smoke forecasts when Arizona wildfires have the potential for extended air quality impacts," as stated on its website. The smoke forecasts are updated daily each morning until data shows a reduced risk of health impacts. 

Reach breaking news reporter Olivia Munson at olivia.munson@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @munson_olivia.

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