Particulate Matter and Your Health - PM10 (Dust) and PM2.5 (Smoke)

People most vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution include children, older adults, adults exercising outdoors, people with heart or lung disease, and those suffering from asthma and bronchitis. Exposure to particulate matter can increase the number and severity of asthma attacks, cause or aggravate bronchitis or other lung disease, and reduce the body's ability to fight infection. Symptoms may include itchy eyes, nose and throat, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain and upper respiratory issues. The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles of concern include "fine particles" (such as those found in smoke and haze), which are 2.5 microns or less in size; and "coarse particles" (such as those found in wind-blown dust), which have diameters between 2.5 and 10 microns. These small particles, some much smaller in diameter than a human hair, pose the greatest problems because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream | View ADEQ Particulate Matter Fact Sheet >

• Use gas or electric instead of burning wood
• Limit the lighting of fireworks
• Ride transit, carpool or telework
• Eliminate all unnecessary driving and/or combine trips
• Avoid dirt roads
• Avoid the use of leaf blowers
• If burning wood for heat or food preparation, use dry wood (burning wet wood releases more particulate matter)