Tips to protect yourself
Close windows and doors and stay inside. However, do not close up your home tightly if it makes it dangerously warm inside.
Only if they are filtered, run the air conditioning, your evaporative cooler or the fan feature on your home heating system (with the heat turned off). Keep the outdoor air intake closed and be sure the filter is clean. Filtered air typically has less smoke than the air outdoors. Running these appliances if they are not filtered can make indoor smoke worse.
Use HEPA room air filtration units if you have them.
Avoid smoking and/or secondhand smoke, vacuuming, candles and other sources of additional air pollution.
Do not use paper dust masks; these do not filter out the particles and gases in smoke.
As temperatures cool in the evening, inversion conditions worsen and smoke in low-lying areas may become thicker, especially if the outdoor air is still. It tends to be worst near dawn.
Close bedroom windows at night.
To prepare for nighttime smoke, consider airing out your home during the early or middle of the afternoon when smoke tends to be more diluted. Use your best judgment. If smoke is thick during the day, follow the tips above.
