![]() ![]() We spent 50 hours researching and testing respirator masks and we recommend the 3M 8516 N95 Particulate Respirator disposable masks, which meet the EPA’s recommendations (PDF) for wildfire smoke (look for a NIOSH-approved N95-type or P100-type mask with two straps that secures below the chin). ![]() The EPA’s “ Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials” (PDF) provides more perspective on the benefits and limits of mask use. They may also give people a false sense of security, prompting them to venture outside when it’s far safer to stay in. Municipalities have handed out such particulate respirators in the wake of wildfires, but at least one, Sacramento, has had second thoughts, as the masks may do more harm than good, especially if not worn properly (PDF). If you do need to go outside, you’re probably considering a mask-namely, an N95 or P100 respirator. We also have some advice specifically on how to use an air purifier to clear your house of wildfire smoke. Since the best thing to do is to stay indoors, the most important piece of protective gear for dealing with poor air quality after a wildfire is a home air purifier. Hundreds of California schools and businesses closed in the aftermath of the fires-the thinking being that the safest thing people can do when air quality is at a hazardous level is to stay home in rooms with filtered air. California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire season has left millions of people struggling to manage daily life while their cities and towns are shrouded by dangerously smoky air. ![]()
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