Does wearing a face mask protect from wildfire smoke?
Wildfire smoke contains very small particles and gases that can irritate your eyes and lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases, especially in children and older adults. So should you be wearing a mask?
Wildfire smoke contains very small particles and gases that can irritate your eyes and lungs and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases, especially in children and older adults. So should you be wearing a mask?
Ash from wildfires falls while smoky, 'unhealthy' air chokes Washington state
Smoke from wildfires clogged the sky, blotting out mountains and city skylines, delaying flights and forcing authorities to tell even healthy adults in the Seattle area to stay indoors.
Smoke from wildfires clogged the sky, blotting out mountains and city skylines, delaying flights and forcing authorities to tell even healthy adults in the Seattle area to stay indoors.
AAA tips on what to do to protect your vehicle from wildfire smoke and ash
SEATTLE -- AAA has provided these 10 things that you can do to protect your vehicle from wildfire smoke and ash:
SEATTLE -- AAA has provided these 10 things that you can do to protect your vehicle from wildfire smoke and ash:
Children more vulnerable than adults to unhealthy air quality
SEATTLE -- At the Magnuson Park YMCA, jumping rope inside is replacing scavenger hunts outside.“It's absolutely a challenge, especially since we have 250-plus kids here every week,” Miranda Gadau said Monday.So the YMCA has to get creative, partnering with other places to get all summer camps inside.“We also sent some kids bowling and roller-skating so anything we can do to keep them inside and have fun,” Gadau said.“Luckily for us, the YMCA of Greater Seattle has 13 locations across King County so we can take kids to gyms, we can take kids to indoor pools,” Andy Sharpe of YMCA saidSharpe says summer camps will remain indoors until the air quality improves and for good reason.“Kids have a higher respiratory rate just at baseline, so they tend to be more active and they breathe in, they breathe a lot compared to how small they are,” Dr.
SEATTLE -- At the Magnuson Park YMCA, jumping rope inside is replacing scavenger hunts outside.“It's absolutely a challenge, especially since we have 250-plus kids here every week,” Miranda Gadau said Monday.So the YMCA has to get creative, partnering with other places to get all summer camps inside.“We also sent some kids bowling and roller-skating so anything we can do to keep them inside and have fun,” Gadau said.“Luckily for us, the YMCA of Greater Seattle has 13 locations across King County so we can take kids to gyms, we can take kids to indoor pools,” Andy Sharpe of YMCA saidSharpe says summer camps will remain indoors until the air quality improves and for good reason.“Kids have a higher respiratory rate just at baseline, so they tend to be more active and they breathe in, they breathe a lot compared to how small they are,” Dr.
Despite unhealthy air, many people are still playing outside
SEATTLE -- The Pacific Northwest usually has some of the best air quality in the country, but right now, it's rated as one of the worst regions in the world.But it hasn't stopped people from trying to take in all of the sights, even if they're taking in smoke with it.The haze has blanketed the Northwest for the better part of two weeks."Something nasty, never seen it before," said Max King, who has lived in Seattle for more than a decade.At Green Lake, the quality is not keeping healthy people from hanging outdoors."I gotta move somehow so I just come out, get the exercise in and see how I feel," said Colleen Hadley, fresh off an hour of stand-up paddle boarding across the lake with her son.Even though some people are feeling the symptoms, they aren't letting it stop them."I could tell that the air was a little bad," said Jonathan Lang, who works at the Green Lake Boathouse. "My eyes were getting a little watery."
SEATTLE -- The Pacific Northwest usually has some of the best air quality in the country, but right now, it's rated as one of the worst regions in the world.But it hasn't stopped people from trying to take in all of the sights, even if they're taking in smoke with it.The haze has blanketed the Northwest for the better part of two weeks."Something nasty, never seen it before," said Max King, who has lived in Seattle for more than a decade.At Green Lake, the quality is not keeping healthy people from hanging outdoors."I gotta move somehow so I just come out, get the exercise in and see how I feel," said Colleen Hadley, fresh off an hour of stand-up paddle boarding across the lake with her son.Even though some people are feeling the symptoms, they aren't letting it stop them."I could tell that the air was a little bad," said Jonathan Lang, who works at the Green Lake Boathouse. "My eyes were getting a little watery."
Washington's wildfire season on pace to be among worst in recent history
Our wildfire season is heating up to be one of the most expensive and longest on record. State fire officials say we haven’t seen a fire season like this since 2015.
Our wildfire season is heating up to be one of the most expensive and longest on record. State fire officials say we haven’t seen a fire season like this since 2015.
Seattle, Tacoma air quality officially the worst on record
University of Washington professor of atmospheric sciences Cliff Mass blamed the unhealthy stretch on a “perfect storm” of meteorological conditions.
University of Washington professor of atmospheric sciences Cliff Mass blamed the unhealthy stretch on a “perfect storm” of meteorological conditions.
Poor air quality: Even healthy adults advised to stay indoors, avoid walking outside
Clean air officials on Wednesday recommended even healthy adults stay indoors to avoid the smoky air.
Clean air officials on Wednesday recommended even healthy adults stay indoors to avoid the smoky air.
Is August smoke the new normal for the Northwest?
SEATTLE, Wash. -- Any Washingtonian has heard it said before.
SEATTLE, Wash. -- Any Washingtonian has heard it said before.
Firefighter injured, evacuations ordered as Eastern Washington wildfire grows
Authorities say a firefighter was injured and residents in two cities were ordered to evacuate Saturday as a wildfire grew in Eastern Washington.
Authorities say a firefighter was injured and residents in two cities were ordered to evacuate Saturday as a wildfire grew in Eastern Washington.
Hikers ordered to 'leave now' as Maple Fire in Olympics doubles in size
A fire burning in the Olympic Mountains has nearly doubled in size in the last 24 hours prompting evacuations for hikers in a popular tourist destination.
A fire burning in the Olympic Mountains has nearly doubled in size in the last 24 hours prompting evacuations for hikers in a popular tourist destination.
Olympic National Park and forests impose fire restrictions
Fire restrictions go into effect Wednesday at Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Fire restrictions go into effect Wednesday at Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Smoke from California and Oregon wildfires will stick around through Thursday
Are you seeing smoke in your neighborhood? Red and hazy sunsets, like the one we saw Monday night, are a big indicator of smoke in the air.
Are you seeing smoke in your neighborhood? Red and hazy sunsets, like the one we saw Monday night, are a big indicator of smoke in the air.
200 JBLM soldiers to be sent to fight massive California wildfires
Dozens of servicemembers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord will get a crash course on becoming wildland firefighters.
Dozens of servicemembers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord will get a crash course on becoming wildland firefighters.
Protect your home from urban wildfires by watering your lawn
Kyle Ohashi with Puget Sound Regional Fire says neighborhoods that are close to open fields and dry brush are prone to what firefighters call interurban interface fires.
Kyle Ohashi with Puget Sound Regional Fire says neighborhoods that are close to open fields and dry brush are prone to what firefighters call interurban interface fires.
Northern California wildfire now largest in state history
Twin Northern California blazes fueled by dry vegetation and hot, windy weather grew Monday to become the largest wildfire in state history, becoming the norm as climate change makes the fire season longer and more severe.
Twin Northern California blazes fueled by dry vegetation and hot, windy weather grew Monday to become the largest wildfire in state history, becoming the norm as climate change makes the fire season longer and more severe.
Urban wildfires popping up as dry, hot weather continues
Firefighters have been spraying water on hot spots along Auburn's west hill since Saturday night after a brush fire grew to about 20 acres and came close to homes nearby.
Firefighters have been spraying water on hot spots along Auburn's west hill since Saturday night after a brush fire grew to about 20 acres and came close to homes nearby.
Oregon wildfire nearly triples in size; threatens structures
A new wildfire in north-central Oregon nearly tripled in size overnight.
A new wildfire in north-central Oregon nearly tripled in size overnight.
Inslee declares emergency in all Washington counties as wildfire threat intensifies
Gov. Jay Inslee signed an emergency proclamation Tuesday for all 39 counties to ensure the immediate response of firefighting resources to protect people, homes, businesses and public and private property from the threat of wildfire.
Gov. Jay Inslee signed an emergency proclamation Tuesday for all 39 counties to ensure the immediate response of firefighting resources to protect people, homes, businesses and public and private property from the threat of wildfire.
Twin wildfires threaten 10,000 Northern California homes
Twin wildfires tearing through vineyards and brushy hills threatened some 10,000 homes Tuesday in Northern California — yet another front in the battle against the flames that have ravaged some of the state's most scenic areas.
Twin wildfires tearing through vineyards and brushy hills threatened some 10,000 homes Tuesday in Northern California — yet another front in the battle against the flames that have ravaged some of the state's most scenic areas.