HOW TO MANAGE IN WILDFIRE SEASON

SMOKE PROOF YOUR HOME

• Smoke proof your home by covering gaps between the inside and outside of your home. Useful materials for this include items such as old towels and masking tape. Cover up cracks under doors and mask around particularly leaky areas.

• Invest in a high quality air purifier. Masking and covering cracks is generally insufficient to keep smoke out of your home. As a result, it is worthwhile investing in a high quality air purifier that adequately deals with smoke.

SUPPORT YOUR LUNGS WITH HERBS AND DIET

Your lungs needs extra TLC during smoke season. Support them with foods and herbs that promote healthy mucilage in your lungs. Common mucilage promoting herbs include slippery elm and marshmallow root. These need to be taken with a good a mount of water — a pinch in a glass of water.

Eating foods that promote healthy mucous membranes is also quite helpful. Oats — especially when cooked with a generous amount of water — are stellar sources of dietary mucilage.

STAY INDOORS OR WEAR A MASK

Stay indoors when the air quality is unhealthy. If you need to go out, wear a proper N95 mask that handles smoke.

BE READY TO EVACUATE

Wildfires may require an evacuation in your area. Sign up for local emergency alerts and keep tabs on the location of regional wildfires and evacuation orders. These are usually available by text and by email in your local jurisdiction.

It is important to have an emergency evacuation kit ready. This should include essential toiletries, extra layers of clothes, essential medicine, a first aid kit, and enough food for three days for your entire household, including your pets. Make sure you also have extra water with you, maintain a full tank of gas, and keep your cell phone charged.