By Journal Staff

LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is providing guidance to Michiganders on how to reduce their risk from air quality events due to wildfire smoke through its new website.

“We want Michigan families to know how to best take precautions to protect their health and safety during air quality events,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive, in a news release. “Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to affect air quality across the state. We are urging Michiganders to check the Air Quality Index regularly to decide if they should be participating in outdoor activities and using the website to help determine what actions they should take to keep themselves and their families safe.”

The page, Michigan.gov/wildfiresmokeandhealth, has information on the health effects of wildfire smoke, how to sign up for air quality alerts and how to reduce risk based on the Air Quality Index.

AQI is a color-coded way for residents to see what the levels of some types of air pollution are in their area. The higher the AQI, the worse the air quality is and the more cause for concern. Live color-coded air quality conditions that indicate if air quality is healthy (green) or unhealthy (yellow, orange, red and purple), along with steps to protect a person’s health, can be found at the AirNow website and mobile app.

Residents can also sign up for alerts through the EnviroFlash system. This subscriber system allows users to choose the area for which they want alerts, and it will send alerts directly to email or send a text message.

MDHHS has also set up a hotline for Michigan residents to ask health-related questions related to air quality issues. The number is 800-648-6942, and is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

AQI levels

Anyone can get sick from exposure to wildfire smoke, but some people are more sensitive to particle pollution. Adults aged 65 and older, pregnant people, children, and people with lung and heart conditions may be more likely to get sick if they breathe in wildfire smoke. Symptoms from breathing in particle pollution can include wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.

People with asthma should follow their asthma control action plan or contact their health care provider if they have symptoms. Anyone with heart disease who experiences these symptoms is urged to contact their health care provider.

The most protective option when air is unhealthy is to stay indoors with air conditioning, reduce strenuous activities and limit outdoor activities. If you must be outside, N95 masks offer enhanced protection when used according to product instructions.

During unhealthy for sensitive groups (AQI orange) to unhealthy for everyone air quality events (AQI red), MDHHS advises the following:

AQI orange –

≤ Everyone can enjoy being outside.

≤ People living with lung and heart disease, older adults aged 65 and over, pregnant people and children should make activities shorter and less intense.

AQI red –

≤ Everyone should reduce long or intense activities outside.

≤ People living with lung and heart disease, older adults aged 65 and over, pregnant people and children are recommended to stay indoors and keep indoor air clean with MERV-13 or better air filtration to prevent breathing harmful particles of wildfire smoke.

≤ Individuals unable to stay inside or must go outside should consider using a protective N95 mask, especially children and pregnant people. Surgical and cloth masks will not stop them from breathing in the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke. Individuals unable to stay inside their own house can seek a temporary shelter location that has clean indoor air.

Michiganders can also help reduce their contributions to unhealthy air conditions during air quality events through the following actions:

≤ Do not add to indoor air pollution. Do not burn candles or use gas, propane, wood-burning stoves, fireplaces or aerosol sprays. Do not fry or broil meat, smoke tobacco products or vacuum.

≤ Reduce outdoor air pollution. Reschedule any burning or activities that add dust, smoke and particulate matter to the air, including campfires.

They also can reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible and reduce how often they refuel vehicles.