Clean Air & Fire Safety

STAYING SAFE WHEN SMOKE ROLLS IN

• Check your local Air Quality Index (AQI) daily during fire season.
• Set up a "clean room" — one comfortable room with doors and windows shut and a portable air cleaner running.
• Skip anything that adds particles indoors: frying food, candles, vacuuming, smoking.
• At-risk groups — kids, older adults, and those with heart/lung conditions — should take extra precautions.

CHOOSING AN AIR CLEANER

• Match the cleaner's CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) to your room's square footage.
• Look for HEPA filtration and low or zero ozone output.
• No air cleaner? A DIY box-fan-and-filter setup with a MERV 13 filter is a proven, low-cost option.
• Stock extra filters before smoke season — they load up fast and may need changing every few days.
• Run your HVAC fan continuously with a high-efficiency filter if your system allows it.

‍PACK A GO-BAG NOW
Keep it by the door or in your car — ready to grab in minutes:

• Water (1 gal/person/day) and 3 days of non-perishable food.
• Medications, first aid kit, N95 masks, flashlight, batteries, phone charger/battery pack.
• Cash, copies of ID and insurance cards, a hand-crank or battery radio.
• Sturdy shoes and long sleeves/pants — cotton resists sparks better than synthetics.
• Pet food, carrier, and supplies if you have animals.

PROTECT IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Fire-resistant safes and document bags keep critical paperwork safe when seconds count:

• Store passports, deeds, birth certificates, insurance policies, and medical records inside.
• Look for a UL fire rating (time + temperature) suited to paper vs. electronics/media.
• A grab-and-go fireproof bag is easier to evacuate with than a heavy fixed safe.
• Photograph or scan documents and back them up to a secure cloud folder as a second layer of protection.
• Keep the safe/bag near your go-bag so it leaves with you, not behind.

MORE RESOURCES

• EPA – Reduce Your Wildfire Smoke Exposure & Create a Clean Room: epa.gov/wildfires/reduce-your-smoke-exposure
• EPA – Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home: epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/guide-air-cleaners-home
• Ready.gov – Build a Kit: ready.gov/kit
• Ready for Wildfire – Go Bag & Evacuation Guide: readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/emergency-supply-kit

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