ExplorethealarmingtrendsandregionalimpactsofwildfiresacrosstheUnitedStates.
TheWorseningWildfireSituation
Wildfiresare
Worsening Californiaburnsover40% oftotalwildfireacresin theU.S.,and2025is expectedtobeeven moredevastating.
NationwideSmoke
Impacts
Wildfiresmokeaffectsair qualitynationwide,with citiesfarfromfires reachinghazardousair qualitylevels.
HumanActivity
FuelsFires
85%ofwildfiresare causedbyhuman activitieslikecampfires, powerfailures,andarson.
ProtectingIndoorAir
UsingMERV-ratedair filtersinHVACsystems cantrapfinewildfire smokeparticlesandkeep indooraircleaner.
WildfireSmoke's ImpactonAirQuality
Wildfireshavebecomeagrowingconcernin recentyears,withsmokefromtheseblazes increasinglyaffectingairqualityacrossthe UnitedStates.Asclimatechangefuelslonger andmoreintensefireseasons,citiesfarfromthe firezoneshaveexperiencedhazardouslevelsof airpollution,withtheAirQualityIndex(AQI) reachingover400insomeareas.
Discovermore athttps://filterbuy.com/resources/across-thenation/states-impacted-bywildfires/https://filterbuy.com/resources/acrossthe-nation/states-impacted-by-wildfires/
StatesMostImpactedbyWildfiresin2024
ProtectingYourHealth DuringWildfireSeason
WildfireSmokeHazards
Wildfiresmokecancauserespiratorydistress, heartcomplications,eye/throatirritation,and worsenasthma/COPDsymptoms
StayIndoors
Reduceoutdoorexposurewhenairqualityis poortominimizesmokeinhalation
UseHEPAFilters
High-efficiencyparticulateair(HEPA)filters trapfinewildfiresmokeparticles,improving indoorairquality
MonitorAirQuality
Usereal-timeAQItoolslikeAirNowtostay informedaboutsmokelevelsandadjustyour precautionsaccordingly
WearN95Masks
Ifyoumustgooutside,N95maskscanfilterout fineparticulatematterfromwildfiresmoke
ClimateChange'sRoleinFuelingWildfires
WorseningWildfire Trends
Annualwildfireshave ravagedtheU.S.,with8of the10mostexpensive wildfiresoccurringafter 2017.
WildfireSmoke
ImpactsNationwide
Smokefromwildfirescan travelthousandsofmiles, leadingtohazardousair qualityincitiesfarfrom thefirezones.
HumanCausesof
Wildfires
85%ofwildfiresare causedbyhuman activitieslikecampfires, powerlinefailures,and arson.
AirFiltersforSmoke Reduction
MERV13airfilterscan effectivelycapturefine wildfiresmokeparticles, improvingindoorair qualityduringfireseason.
FrequentlyAskedQuestions
CausesofWildfires
Wildfiresareprimarilycausedbyhumanactivities(85%) suchasunattended campfires powerlinemalfunctions,andarson Lightningalsocontributesbutisless frequent.
ImpactonAirQuality
Wildfiresmokecarriesfineparticlesthatcantravelthousandsofmiles leadingto hazardousairqualityinareasfarfromthefirezones CitieslikeNewYorkhave experiencedAQIlevelsover400 posingserioushealthrisks
UnderstandingAQI
TheAirQualityIndex(AQI)measurestheconcentrationofpollutantsintheair suchas smokeparticles AnAQIover150isconsideredunhealthy,andanythingabove300is hazardous.
ProtectingIndoorAirQuality
Usinghigh-efficiencyairfiltersinyourHVACsystem,suchasMERV13-ratedfilters can helptrapsmokeparticlesandimproveindoorairqualityduringfireseason
ImportanceofMERVRatings
MERV(MinimumEfficiencyReportingValue)measureshoweffectivelyanairfiltertraps particles AMERV13filterisidealforcapturingfinewildfiresmokeparticleswithout compromisingairflow.
FilterReplacementFrequency
Itsrecommendedtochangeyourairfiltersevery1-3monthsduringwildfireseason, especiallyifyourareaisexperiencingheavysmoke Frequentreplacementsensure yourHVACsystemrunsefficientlyandhelpsmaintainairquality
LimitationsofAirFilters
Airfiltersaremadetocaptureparticles But MERV13filtersarebestateffectively reducingsmokeparticles improvingindoorairqualityandreducinghealthrisks
HealthRisksofSmokeExposure
Wildfiresmokecancauserespiratoryissues worsenasthmaandCOPD irritatetheeyes andthroat,andleadtoheartcomplications.Vulnerablepopulations,includingchildren, theelderly,andthosewithpre-existingconditions areathigherrisk.
ProtectingVulnerableIndividuals
Ifyouhavefamilymemberswhohaverespiratoryorcardiovascularconditions,it'sbest toinvestinhigh-qualityHVACsystemstomaintaingoodindoorairqualityandprotect theirhealth
AdditionalSmokeMitigationStrategies
Inadditiontousingairfilters,considersealingwindowsanddoorstopreventsmoke fromentering stayingindoorswhenairqualityispoor,andusingN95masksifyoumust gooutside