How does wildfire smoke compare to other air pollution problems like cigarettes?
People who smoke have already compromised their lung function. Exposure to high levels of particulate can exacerbate their condition, leading to chest pain, trouble breathing and other respiratory symptoms more quickly than in non-smokers. As a way to put smoking in context, in a 10 by 13 foot room with an 8 foot ceiling, it takes only 10 minutes for the side stream smoke of 4 cigarettes to create ambient levels of particulates in the hazardous ranges (644 ug/m3).
