By Jan Axelson
Northside News
Last July, as wildfire smoke blew in from Canada, Madison’s air became thick with haze and smelled of smoke. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Air Quality Index set a new record, peaking at over 450. (An index of 50 or below is considered good.) In the following months, many days have continued to have lower levels of smoke pollution.
Compared to other sources of air pollution, wildfire smoke is especially hazardous to human health. The very fine particles, known as PM2.5, are as much as 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. The particles can enter deep into your lungs and bloodstream. Wildfire smoke may also contain other harmful substances such as lead, mercury and formaldehyde.
The effects on human health include heart attacks, aggravated asthma, coughing and difficulty breathing. Evidence suggests that even low levels of exposure over time can be harmful. Children, older adults and those with heart or lung diseases are especially at risk.
A new resource for checking air quality is Love My Air Wisconsin, a website that displays PM2.5 data from sensors around Madison. Locations on the Northside include Kennedy Heights Community Center, Mendota Elementary School, the Northport-Packers intersection, and Madison College. (The Northport-Packers sensor was sent for repair this summer and may still be offline.)
An online map shows air quality at each location. Funded by a grant from the EPA, the project is a partnership of the City of Madison and the Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin.
Another source for air quality data is the EPA’s AirNow, which displays air quality readings and forecasts for the whole country. This site also shows pollution from larger particles (PM10) and ozone. In Madison, AirNow sensors are located near Demetral Park and off University Avenue.
When pollution is high, you can take action to protect your health. If possible, stay indoors with windows closed. Outdoors, wear an N95 face mask.
A portable air purifier can help keep indoor air clean. The EPA has instructions for building your own indoor air cleaner from a box fan and an air filter.
A furnace fan with a filter rated MERV 13 or higher can capture PM2.5 particles. Check with an HVAC installer before installing a MERV 13 filter. On some systems, these tight filters can stress the fan or cause other problems. Check and change furnace filters as needed to keep them functioning.
Resources: Love My Air Wisconsin (lovemyair.com/wisconsin), AirNow (AirNow.gov), DIY Air Cleaners to Reduce Wildfire Smoke Indoors (EPA) (tinyurl.com/diyaircleaner)
