Ep. 168: Wildfire Smoke and Your Lungs, What You Need to Know
Part of the series: Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Innovations Podcast
This podcast was made in partnership with Allergy & Asthma Network.
Wildfire smoke used to feel like someone else's problem. Now it can show up on air quality alerts hundreds of miles from any actual fire, and for anyone with asthma, that hazy sky can mean real trouble breathing.
In this episode, Kortney and Dr. Gupta are joined by Dr. Neelu Tummala, an ENT physician and climate health expert, to talk about why wildfires are getting more frequent and intense, what is actually in wildfire smoke, and the everyday steps that can protect your lungs, your family, and even your pets.
What we cover in our episode about wildfire smoke and asthma
Why wildfires are intensifying. Warmer, drier conditions have extended the wildfire season by about a month compared with 35 years ago.
What's actually in the smoke. PM2.5 particles make up most of wildfire smoke's mass and are small enough to slip past your body's natural filters.
How it affects your body. Smoke can irritate the nose, throat, and ears before it ever reaches your lungs, and it can also affect heart and brain health.
Who's most at risk. Babies, kids, older adults, pregnant women, and anyone with asthma, COPD, or heart disease need extra caution.
How to protect yourself. Check the AQI, wear a well-fitted N95, run air purifiers, and keep pets indoors during smoky days.
About our guests
Dr. Neelu Tummala is an ENT physician and assistant professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at NYU Langone Health. She was previously at George Washington University School of Medicine where she was the co-director of the Climate Health Institute
More resources about air quality and asthma
Find out about your local air quality: Asthma and Allergy Forecast
American Lung Association: State of the Air report, PDF version
Wildfires and asthma from the American Lung Association
NYC Resources: Cooling options and Cooling centers
More asthma epsiodes
Timestamps
Our episode about why air quality matters to your health
01:47 Dr. Tummala intro
03:35 Why wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense
05:43 Why is wildfire smoke dangerous
09:01 How smoke affects the nose, throat, lungs, heart, and brain
11:35 Who is most at risk
13:30 Understanding the air quality index
16:10 Masks, air purifiers, and indoor air quality
18:41 Access and equity in protecting your health
21:21 Protecting pets and final takeaways
