What air toxics are produced by forest fires?
The three air toxics that are of most concern from wildfires are: • Acrolein – An aldehyde with a piercing, choking odor. Even at low levels, acrolein can severely irritate the eyes and upper respiratory tract. Symptoms include stinging and tearing eyes, nausea and vomiting. • Formaldehyde – Low level exposure can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. Higher levels cause irritation to spread to the lower respiratory tract. Long-term exposure is associated with nasal and nasopharyngeal cancer. • Benzene – Benzene causes headaches, dizziness, nausea and breathing difficulties, and is a very potent carcinogen. Benzene causes anemia, liver and kidney damage, and cancer. How can it be predicted where the smoke will go? The behavior of smoke depends on the fire’s size, location, area topography, weather, and more. Smoke fills valleys, which is where people usually live. Smoke levels are hard to predict: a wind can clear out a valley, blow more smoke in, or fan the fires. Smoke conce
