Avoiding the long and short-term consequences of poor air quality

SALT LAKE CITY — As smoke from wildfires moves into Salt Lake City, doctors remind us that bad air quality can have both short-term and long-term consequences.

“I think on these high-air-pollution days, we just really want to be aware of the temperatures and the air pollution and take that into account,” said Dr. Denitza Blagev, a pulmonologist with Intermountain Health. “We always want to breathe as clean air as we can.”

Health officials said the smoky skies are particularly dangerous for sensitive groups, like young children and those with underlying health conditions like asthma, who can be at increased risk for asthma attacks, pneumonia, bronchitis, and even hospitalization.

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Blagev suggests limiting outdoor exposure on bad air days.

“Indoor air quality is cleaner than outdoor air quality. It doesn’t mean stay locked in your house for the next week, but if you’re going to go out and exercise, think about the times of day when the air pollution is better,” she said.

Avoid letting smoke inside your home by running your AC and making sure your air filters are clean.

“If you don’t remember the last time they were changed, I would at least take a look,” Blagev said.

Look out for symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and eye or nose irritation.

You can find air quality updates through the Utah Division of Air Quality and on the KSL Weather app.

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