Overnight, the Park fire has expanded to more than 164,000 acres with minimal containment reported. Breathing wildfire smoke can be harmful to the lungs and is unhealthy for everyone, particularly children, older adults, pregnant individuals, and those with existing or undiagnosed lung health issues. Smoke from this fire and others in the region may travel hundreds or even thousands of miles, affecting people in many parts of California and states as far away as New Mexico, Colorado, and Nebraska.
Protecting lung health should be a crucial part of a wildfire emergency plan. The American Lung Association offers the following general recommendations to protect residents' lungs from exposure to wildfire smoke:
