Dealing with smoke. Lots of smoke.

[Str8Shooter]

Does anyone here know any tricks to dealing with forest fire smoke?  It is really bad right now and supposed to get worse.  My eyes are burning as much as the fires are.  My throat hurts.  Even the baby is rubbing her eyes from it.

 

So any hints?

 

Thanks!

[AngelMarvel]

Sorry... I am in the same boat. Allergies kicked up big time. Scratchy, watering eyes that I want to just dig out. And, having asthma starting up. I have been staying inside as much as possible.

 

Hope you and the baby will be okay.

[Str8Shooter]

Sorry... I am in the same boat. Allergies kicked up big time. Scratchy, watering eyes that I want to just dig out. And, having asthma starting up. I have been staying inside as much as possible.

 

Hope you and the baby will be okay.

 

Thanks.  We just reached code "purple" on the air quality index.  It means that everyone might experience more serious health effects.  The current AQI number is 202 which is "very unhealthy", one step below the worst possible rating.

[AngelMarvel]

OMGosh... I don't know what it is in our area. I will have to check it out.

[Average Joe]

Does anyone here know any tricks to dealing with forest fire smoke?  It is really bad right now and supposed to get worse.  My eyes are burning as much as the fires are.  My throat hurts.  Even the baby is rubbing her eyes from it.

 

So any hints?

 

Thanks!

 

Rain, lotsa rain

[NightSG]

Does anyone here know any tricks to dealing with forest fire smoke? 

 

http://www.uhaul.com/

[pam]

I know here in Utah they are recommending anyone with respiratory problems or the elderly to stay indoors with windows closed tight.

[Crypto]

Have you bought an indoor air filter yet? Gonna be cleaning the filters a lot though.

[Leah]

It's bad in Oregon today.  I'm in the Portland metro area and woke up this morning to so much smoke and smell that I thought there had to be a fire right in the neighborhood.

 

We're currently at 205.

[Iggy]

I live on the coast of Oregon, and we are getting some smoke - we are also praying for good strong winds coming off the ocean. Half my family lives in the fire zones. They have all been evacuated out, then allowed to return during the day, evacuated out at night- repeat. 

 

My Uncle is 77 and he says he is getting too old & stove up to be sleeping on a cot in some high school hallway. They won't let him bring his two dogs, or his three horses either. Thankfully, his grandkids came and got the animals - but he and my Aunt refuse to go with them. What does he think his staying is going to do?? Save the house? He is too far away to keep looters and vandals away - stubborn man. 

 

Don't have any help about the smoke - wear a surgical mask? Filters for your AC? Here I was wishing we had a fan on our furnace - where you can flip a switch on the furnace and have fan only - BUT that circulates outside air. 

 

Have you called your home extension office to ask them what to do? Fire department non-emergency number? 

[Str8Shooter]

http://www.uhaul.com/

 

Awesome reply.  I literally LOL.

[Str8Shooter]

Have you bought an indoor air filter yet? Gonna be cleaning the filters a lot though.

 

Yeah.  I fired up the Honeywell true HEPA and turned the fan to maximum overdrive.  Our house now sounds like we are on a flight at 30,000 feet.

Seems to be helping a bit.

[Str8Shooter]

It's bad in Oregon today.  I'm in the Portland metro area and woke up this morning to so much smoke and smell that I thought there had to be a fire right in the neighborhood.

 

We're currently at 205.

 

I'm close to PDX too.  

 

 

I live on the coast of Oregon

 

Have you called your home extension office to ask them what to do? Fire department non-emergency number? 

 

Everyone is pretty much saying to cab up and stay inside.  If it becomes an emergency then call 911.  

911 has been so overloaded with calls that they came out and told people to quit calling about fire unless they actually see flames.

[Guest]

We've had high orange or red air alert all week. There is a layer of smoke everywhere. People are advised to stay inside as much as possible.

[SpiritDragon]

I've been fortunate enough to not be close enough to any forest fires that the smoke has done more than give me headaches and a scratchy throat (mild). I have had to endure thick bad smoke from grass fires though. I'd second the idea of using the air filter to help. Keep everything as closed up as possible. If you have access to a basement you might notice that the smoke is less severe down there (not always, but generally it's better because the smoke rises) If it's a viable option spend more time down there.

 

Drinking lots of water can sometimes help keep the scratchy throat from getting out of hand, and it has helped minimize headaches from smoke for me in the past, presumably by assisting in flushing out smoke toxins.

 

If it's really out of hand you might try getting a scuba oxygen tank and mask.

 

All the best, that's no fun.

[NeuroTypical]

The 2012 Waldo Canyon fire sent up a huge wall of smoke, which traveled over the heads of Colorado Springs, and came down right on our house.  Our 'air conditioning' consisted of a fan blowing outside air into the basement, and an upstairs fan blowing air back out.  It was getting smoky in our house.  We got a hepa furnace filter that would filter out the smoke, and duct-taped it to the basement fan.  That made staying inside much better.

 

For outside, we did have some face masks, but we had to be willing to endure the funny looks from people as we went from car to grocery store.  

[KellyLC]

After reading this thread, I hope everyone's safe, Str8shooter. I'm praying no one had to deal with anything worse than smoke.

Edited September 3, 2015 by KellyLC