Western Washington University
07/31/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/31/2026 13:43
How to Prepare for Wildfire Season
WWU News
How to Prepare for Wildfire Season
Learn how to minimize your exposure to wildfire smoke by making your own clean air fan
July 31, 2026
As we approach wildfire season, it is essential to ensure our Western community is prepared to cope with the smoke. The Office of Emergency Management & Business Continuity, in collaboration with Environmental Health & Safety and the State of Washington Department of Ecology (WADOE), established proactive steps to prepare for smoke and safeguard everyone on campus.
Step 1: Understanding Wildfire Smoke
Wildfire smoke consists of harmful gases like carbon monoxide and particle pollution, known as PM2.5. These gases can enter the lungs and bloodstream, worsening health conditions such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, or other heart and lung diseases. Those at higher risk include young children, older adults, pregnant women, and smokers.
Step 2: Stay Informed about Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality
Stay informed about local air quality conditions with the Washington Smoke Information blog, the Fire and Smoke Map, Washington's Air Monitoring Network, and AirNow. These tools provide real-time updates on smoke locations and intensity, which is essential for making informed decisions about outdoor activities.
Step 3: Know the Symptoms of Wildfire Smoke Exposure
For many people, the symptoms of wildfire smoke exposure include stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose, coughing, sinus irritation, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Breathing in smoke can also cause headaches, fatigue, and a fast heartbeat. People in sensitive groups are more likely to be affected. This includes people with breathing or heart conditions, babies and children under 18, people over 65, pregnant women, and people who smoke or have diabetes.
Step 4: Minimize your Exposure to Wildfire Smoke
Managing exposure to wildfire smoke is critical to mitigating health risks. When air quality is poor, take precautions like staying indoors with windows and doors closed, using HEPA filters to purify indoor air, and avoiding activities that stir up dust, like vacuuming. For those needing to go outside, reduce physical activity, set your car's air conditioner to recirculate, drink plenty of water, and wear a fitted N95 or KN95 mask to minimize exposure to harmful particles. Learn how to build your clean-air fan below!
Learn how to make your own DIY clean air fan with Washington Department of Ecology's step-by-step instructional video below. All you need is a box fan and a furnace filter.
Step 5: Prevent Wildfire Smoke
As Smokey Bear says, "Only you can prevent wildfires." Over 80% of wildfires are started by humans, so remember to extinguish your campfires and cigarettes, obey burn bans, park hot vehicles on asphalt, not dry grass, and check your trailer chains to avoid sparks from dragging. These efforts are essential in reducing the frequency and intensity of wildfires exacerbated by climate change.
For more information, please visit the Emergency Management & Business Continuity program webpage.
Western Washington University published this content on July 31, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 31, 2026 at 19:43 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]