“Clean Rooms” Protect Public Health During Wildfire Season
Author: Jay Plant, Environmental Health Specialist
“Clean Rooms” Protect Public Health During Wildfire Season
Jay Plant
Environmental Health Specialist
The Hilger Valley Fire north of Helena marks the beginning of the 2025 summer wildfire season, and public health officials are urging residents to be prepared.
“Though wildfire smoke lies outside a typical resident’s circle of control, there are little things people can do on a regular basis to reduce their exposure to harmful and chronic air pollution,” says Jay Plant, Lewis and Clark Public Health (LCPH) Environmental Health Specialist.
Exposure to wildfire smoke can harm human health, especially among individuals with existing lung and cardiovascular diseases. Studies have linked fine-particulate pollution to an increase in hospital admissions and emergency room visits.
To protect the health and well-being of all residents in Lewis and Clark County, the LCPH Prevention Team, in partnership with the LCPH Environmental Health Team, champions the importance of indoor air quality and the creation of clean rooms within each residence, especially during episodes of poor outdoor air quality.
“Indoor air quality is a frequently overlooked but important component of public health,” says Adam Maes, LCPH Environmental Health Specialist. “Harmful particulates from wildfires, secondhand smoke, lead paint, and woodburning stoves can cause lasting damage to respiratory health and result in chronic disease.”
One substantial way to maintain a healthy home is to keep it smoke-free. This includes smoke from tobacco, candles, incense, burnt food, and non-EPA-certified wood stoves. Residents are encouraged to keep windows and doors sealed shut during periods of poor outdoor air quality. “In addition, I think everyone who lives in this community should have multiple air filters in their house. And not just any filters, but high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters,” states Maes.
“The good news is that with a little bit of elbow grease and $20, residents can construct their own HEPA filter. All they need is a box fan and a square HEPA filter – both items that you can find at a local supply store,” adds Plant.
High-quality HEPA air filters can be purchased online or at local retail stores. When purchasing a filter, residents are encouraged to consider the size of the room. Large filters for large rooms, small filters for small rooms.
Residents with air conditioning are encouraged to use it during wildfire season, as high-quality HEPA filters can be built into new construction HVAC systems. Furnaces can also be equipped with HEPA filters.
Residents without air conditioning are encouraged to keep their air filters running and create at least one “clean room” in their home where they can hunker down and enjoy indoor activities until the air quality improves outside.
“Just do the best you can and stay informed,” Plant encourages.
LCPH monitors outdoor air quality hourly, and those reports are automatically updated to the Lewis and Clark Public Health Data Portal: bit.ly/LCPH-Data-Portal.
“While we highly recommend use of the data portal, there is also a hotline residents can call for air quality updates. That number is 406-447-1644. Our hotline is updated every day as conditions change,” says Maes.
For further questions about air quality-related issues, residents can contact Jay Plant at 406-447-8358 or email him at jplant@lccountymt.gov.
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