Posted on 06/07/2023 12:31:31 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
As wildfires scorch Canada and smoke blankets the United States from Minnesota to New England and south to Florida, millions of people are under air-quality alerts.
Face masks — the same kind used in the COVID-19 pandemic — can help protect people from dangerously polluted air, say health experts.
But choose a good quality mask, they caution.
“N95 masks are the type of face covering protection that I would recommend for somebody who is outside during the air pollution caused by wildfires,” Marina Vance, PhD, an assistant professor in the environmental engineering program at the University of Colorado, Boulder, told Healthline.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
She forgot to mention the smoke from 4th of July barbecues, but I'm sure there will be a mask mandate issued for that.
Relative to the amount of PM produced, flaming pine and peat released the most mutagenic smoke, whereas smoke from flaming eucalyptus and peat was the most toxic to the lungs. “We were surprised that on a [PM] mass basis, the flaming samples were actually more toxic than the smoldering samples,”
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP3450
“Can you completely avoid the smoke? Not unless you’re in a hermetically sealed home. The PM levels aren’t much different indoors and out unless you have a really good HVAC system, such as those with MERV 15 or better filters. But going inside decreases your activity, so your breathing rate is slower and the amount of smoke you’re inhaling is likely lower.”
“The masks may block particles fairly well, but the fire vapors will get past the mask.”
The “vapors” from fires are concentrated only the nearer to the fire you are and less concentrated the further from the fire you are. They are lighter than fire-dustin particles, rise more easily in the atmosphere and get reduced in concerntration by the aircurrents scattering everything. The “vapors” are not a problem in most of the U.S. northeast or further into the U.S. than that. Smoke is not a “vapor”. It is a very fine solid, as a residue of burning, and similar to “dust”.
that’s when dickless turned off our nuclear generator...
Does wearing a mask protect you from ANYTHING?
Nothing much in the known universe, but it does demonstrate compliance with directives from people who want to hold mind control over you.
And compliance is everything.
Thank you for a reasoned response. So many silly asses around here that it floods out the gems like yours.
In early September, 2000, there were a bunch of large fires in the western, lower slopes of the Cascade Mountains. They were mostly caused by sudden easterly high winds, and were very dry at the end of a long hot summer.
Two forest fires blew up suddenly within 45 miles of me, totally destroyed two towns in the 20k range, and then the winds died down to nothing. Extremely heavy smoke lingered in the valleys and the lower slopes for three days, until normal NW winds came up again.
N95 masks did little good against the fine particles filling the air. It really was hard to breathe. I have an N99 mask, and only that did the trick. I could breath, and even barely smelled the smoke.
More than it protects from COVID.
Yes, much like earthquakes, we deal with things out here. Put a good N95 mask or respirator on to protect yourself from the smoke.
Doh!
Yes and also make sure you stand at least six feet away from any Canadian, that will protect you also.
Trees are the leading cause of forest fires
Home games in Philly and NY (Yanks)
tonight postponed due to smoke.
Hopefully a minor league game I’m attending Sun in Hartford won’t be
called off
Actually this is one of the few cases where it might help. At least it would help
filter large particles and a professionally fit N95 even more. If someone had significant asthma or respiratory disease it might be worth a try. Of course an old t shirt wrapped around your nose/mouth would probably help as well. Smoke particles can be significantly bigger than viral ones
Yes. Not a bad suggestion. It needn’t be a “mandate”, though, especially since it will not protect anyone but the wearer!
Yet these idiots smoke, vape or sit by a fire pit.
Bullet to the head is the most effective way of not inhaling smoke.
It should never be a mandate!
I live in Georgia. There isn’t any Canadian smoke here. So, a mask won’t help even if you happen to trembling at the thought of smoke. Or spiders.
Uh...........................no, but you will still see the lemmings wearing them
Yes and mask up serfs!
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