Do dust masks help?
Paper comfort or nuisance masks are designed to trap large dust particles — not the tiny particles found in smoke. These masks generally will not protect your lungs from wildfire smoke. How long is the smoke going to last? That depends on a number of factors, including the number of fires in the area, fire behavior, weather and topography. Smoke also can travel long distances, so fires in other areas can affect smoke levels in your area. Im concerned about what the smoke is doing to my animals. What can I do? The same particles that cause problems for people may cause some problems for animals. Dont force your animals to run or work in smoky conditions. Contact your veterinarian or county extension office for more information. How does smoke harm my health? One of the biggest dangers of smoke comes from particulate matter — solid particles and liquid droplets found in air. In smoke, these particles often are very tiny, smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. How small is that? Thin
