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Revised:
June 20th, 2023
It’s officially fire season, and you know what that means: wildfires. Last Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued an official air quality alert for New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia residents. In the following days, New York City had record-high air pollution, and it was reported that NYC had the worst air quality of any major city in the world.
However, as the days progress and the wildfires continue, more states like Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota began having air quality alerts. The bad news is if these wildfires do not get controlled, more wildfires will spread, and an air quality alert could extend down the eastern coast, including North and South Carolina.
According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, there are an estimated 450 active fires across the country, most of which have not been contained or put out. In fact, 220 of these fires were labeled as “out of control,” 127 fires were marked as “under control,” and another hundred are “being held.”
Nevertheless, given our current situation, we will break down some of the questions surrounding the wildfires, air quality alerts, and how it relates to your central air conditioning, including, but not limited to
- What wildfires are
- How wildfires are caused
- The health risks of breathing in polluted air
- How it relates to your home's indoor air quality, air quality alerts, and your HVAC system
- And ways to protect you, your home, and your loved ones from air pollution
Let’s get started!
What Are Wildfires?
According to National Geographic, in its simplest terms, a wildfire is an uncontrolled fire that burns in the wildland, typically in rural areas. Contrary to popular belief, wildfires are not contained in certain continents or environments. In fact, wildfires can start in almost any biome, including:
- Forests
- Grasslands
- Savannah
- Great Plains
What Causes Wildfires?
It’s important to note that wildfires are a natural part of an ecosystem's life and are needed for the continued survival of plant life; for instance, some species of tree cones need to be warm before they can bloom and release their seeds, such as a scrub oak tree.
Nonetheless, most wildfires are caused naturally by a lightning strike hitting dry leaves, a dead tree, starting under the earth's surface from different types of organic matter, or as a result of human activity, like someone carelessly throwing a cigarette butt on the ground.
Types of Wildfires
There are three basic types of wildfires: ground, crown, and surface. Below is a basic definition of each type of wildfire:
Ground Fires: This fire ignites within thick soil with a ton of organic matter, such as decayed roots. Ground fires are one of the most dangerous types of wildfires because they burn slowly, and more often than not, they will not appear on the surface. However, they do generate smoke but no flames.
Not to mention, if a ground fire gets big enough, it can burn for weeks, sometimes a whole season. One of the biggest things to consider when dealing with a groundfire is that if they go on long enough, it can quickly turn into a crown or surface fire.
Crown Fires: In its simplest terms, a crown fire is a type of forest fire that spreads across treetops and is typically caused as a direct result of a surface fire. Crown fires can be either passive or active. A passive crown fire (often referred to as “torching”) usually involves the burning of an individual or a small grouping of trees.
Image Source: Blakof achraf
On the other hand, an active crown fire (sometimes called a running crown fire) has a solid wall of flames that extends from the forest surface to the tree crown and will spread from canopy to canopy.
Surface Fires: Surface Fires: As the name implies, they only burn on the surface of the forest. They burn dead and dry vegetation on the ground or a few inches above. Oftentimes, surface fires are fueled by parched grass or fallen leaves.
Interestingly enough, it’s common to have each type of forest fire at any given time during a wildfire, mainly because wildfires can vary from one minute to the next due to several other factors, including:
- The weather
- Fuel type (how it was ignited)
- Topography (a detailed representation on a map of natural and artificial features in a given area)
Remember, each of these factors can affect how long a forest fire lasts.
Health Effects of Breathing in Polluted Air
Since wildfire smoke is a mixture of air pollutants (smoke and ash) and other fine particles, it’s a serious health risk for any individual. Furthermore, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) states that children, older adults, pregnant, work outdoors, and even low-income individuals are more susceptible to smoke exposure and the health risks associated with air pollution.
Image Source: Pixabay
As mentioned earlier, because of our current climate, several states across the eastern border into the Midwest have issued severe air quality alerts. An air quality alert is a warning that indicates high levels of air pollution that can relate to several health risks, including, but not limited to:
- Irritation of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Decreased lung function resulting in coughing or wheezing
- Lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and pulmonary inflammation
- Burns and injuries
- Heart failure
It’s also worth mentioning that according to the EPA, wildfires release a significant amount of mercury into our air in addition to fire smoke and ash. Breathing in mercury can cause an impairment of speech, vision, hearing, and walking, as well as muscle weakness for any age.
How Does My HVAC System Play a Role?
Since the Canadian wildfires started last week, smoky air has entered the United States, causing a multi-state air quality alert. Because of the smoky conditions, many homeowners wonder how the air pollution from wildfire smoke will affect our HVAC systems, our home’s indoor air quality, and future air quality alerts.
Remember, a wildfire can still pose a serious health hazard for many individuals. In fact, harmful chemicals, carbon dioxide, and other particles can spread from hundreds of miles away. These debris are hard to see with the naked eye and can make their way into your home.
Contrary to popular belief, most residential heating and cooling systems do not have a fresh air intake; instead, it uses forced air to heat and cool your home. That said, this makes your air filters the first and best defense against air pollution entering your home, especially during a wildfire.
During an air quality alert, you should keep your windows shut, and you can run your HVAC systems fan, which can be done by running an AC or furnace. As a matter of fact, on some systems, it can be done separately. Not to mention, running your HVAC system during an air quality alert can help your home's indoor air quality.
Nevertheless, life happens, and we sometimes have to leave our homes during an air quality alert, which can let the polluted outside air indoors, which results in poor air quality inside your home.
This is why cleaning, changing, and maintaining your HVAC filter is key, especially during an air quality alert! Keep in mind that a standard fiberglass three-inch filter will help; however, to get the most out of your HVAC unit and filter, you should invest in a high-quality filter, like a MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) or HEPA (High-Efficiency Particular Air) filter.
For the best protection against heavy smoke from a wildfire and any other debris and impurities, you should invest in a MERV rater air filter. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the MERV rating, the more dirt, dust, debris, and smoke it can catch to keep your home's air clean for you and your loved ones to breathe easier. Our knowledgeable HVAC professionals recommend a MERV 11-15 for the best wildfire protection.
Additional Air Cleaner(s)
On top of that, you can invest in an air purifier to manage your home's indoor air quality and the well-being of you and your loved ones. At Fire & Ice, we use the best air purifiers on the market: The REME HALO or LED HALO; both will provide your home with pure and clean air.
It has an easy installation directly into your current HVAC air duct. It uses ultraviolet or LED lights to eliminate impurities before circulating back through your home's air cycle. While they have different bulbs, they have the same underlying technology powering their purification, making the process virtually identical. Not to mention it can also help reduce:
- Allergy triggers
- Airborne/ surface bacteria
- Unwanted smells/odors
- Removes particulates the naked eye can't see
Also Read: The Reme Halo Air Purifier: Take Control of Your Home Air Quality
Tips & Tricks to Keep Your Home Safe During Air Quality Alerts
As mentioned earlier, whether you’re in the immediate vicinity of a wildfire or hundreds of miles away, you can still be greatly impacted by a wildfire and the health issues that come with exposure to harmful particulates, chemicals, or gasses.
Listed below are a few ways to ensure you, your home, and your loved one’s stay safe during an air quality alert:
- Stay Inside- the outdoor air can pose serious health risks for any individual, especially those with an underlying condition; however, if you need to leave during an air quality alert, please wear protective gear, such as an N95 or P1000 respirator mask.
- Adjust the Fan On Your AC Unit- if your HVAC system has a fresh air intake (most residential homes don’t), you should adjust your AC to “fan” or “recirculate.”
- Keep Your Air Conditioner Set To “On,” and Frequently Check/Change Your Filters- a dirty filter makes it harder for your system to run properly, decreases lifespan, and reduces the indoor air quality in your home.
- Schedule Your Annual Maintenance- this will ensure your AC is equipped to handle any outside weather that comes your way.
- If You Can, Keep Your AC Clean and Clear From Any Debris- if you notice any debris, you can quickly wipe down your unit; however, please follow your air quality guidelines before going outside. Worst comes to worst; you can always have your unit professionally cleaned once the wildfire has stopped and the air quality alert is lifted.
Putting It All Together
Whether you live in Canada, the Midwest, or across the U.S., there is always a chance for a wildfire to spark. That said, it’s important to know what wildfires are, how they start, how to maintain your HVAC system during a wildfire, and the steps to keep you, your home, and your loved ones safe.
We hope this article has shed some light on Canada's current situation and how it affects homeowners near and far.
Do you have questions about your AC regarding air quality alerts or any HVAC service, like an air conditioning installation, furnace replacement, heat pump maintenance, a professional duct cleaning, or service on any other HVAC equipment?=
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If so, click below to schedule an appointment with one of our HVAC specialists to ensure your heating, ventilation, and air conditioner is in perfect condition to take on any summer weather we might have.
We look forward to making your day even better!
