Can Smell the Smoke

[Anonymous]

I feel like people in the unhealthy - very healthy AQ ranges should have gotten text alerts. We get text alerts when there may be tornado or flash flood dangers. Why not air quality?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you at OP? I just came from Safeway (drove with windows down) and didn't smell anything. Air quality is mid-60s. I am in MoCo.

I'm in Bethesda. I have a good sense of smell though. Last time I thought there was a fire smoldering in the basement and started looking for it. Turned out to be the air from Canada.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

That's a common sense question - and yes wildfire smoke is significantly worse. For one, people typically spend an hour or two around a campfire, and the smoke quickly dissipates. Wildfire smoke, on the other hand, comes in humungous plumes and can linger for days or weeks. Wildfires smoke also contains much more pollution/toxic chemicals. It's not just breathing in burning wood but also pollutants from buildings and other toxins. It's distressing that this is now becoming part of life on the East Coast too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

"Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials."

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/what-are-health-risks-wildfire-smoke-2023-06-07/#:~:text=Along%20with%20particles%20of%20soil,plastics%20and%20other%20synthetic%20materials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

If buildings are burning down, all of those things could be inside.

how many buildings are burning down in Canadian wilderness PP? Probably small cabin or two, if any. Is that your concern? what people might have in those log cabins?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

"Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials."

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/what-are-health-risks-wildfire-smoke-2023-06-07/#:~:text=Along%20with%20particles%20of%20soil,plastics%20and%20other%20synthetic%20materials.

"traces" is your concern. okay. you also realize you are surrounded by background radiation, right? are you concerned about that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

If buildings are burning down, all of those things could be inside.

how many buildings are burning down in Canadian wilderness PP? Probably small cabin or two, if any. Is that your concern? what people might have in those log cabins?

I'm not that PP but it doesn't smell like wood burning. It smells like a burning pile of tires.

[Anonymous]

I was up in Grand Rapids, MI yesterday for work and holy balls was it terrible there. I bought a mask at the drug store, it was so terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

I do. I hate fire pit season and can’t understand why everyone loves plumes of smoke blowing in their faces to the point that clothes and hair have to be washed afterwards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

If buildings are burning down, all of those things could be inside.

how many buildings are burning down in Canadian wilderness PP? Probably small cabin or two, if any. Is that your concern? what people might have in those log cabins?

Are you really arguing that it’s nbd?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

"Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials."

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/what-are-health-risks-wildfire-smoke-2023-06-07/#:~:text=Along%20with%20particles%20of%20soil,plastics%20and%20other%20synthetic%20materials.

traces usually means parts per billion particles - like a few yellow marbles in a pool of billion marbles. yes, they can detect ppb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

"Along with particles of soil and biological materials, wildfire smoke often contains traces of chemicals, metals, plastics and other synthetic materials."

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/what-are-health-risks-wildfire-smoke-2023-06-07/#:~:text=Along%20with%20particles%20of%20soil,plastics%20and%20other%20synthetic%20materials.

"traces" is your concern. okay. you also realize you are surrounded by background radiation, right? are you concerned about that?

NP who posted the previous link

A trace is not my concern, but rather the particulates that I can see floating around me.
It's like smog where I am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

Exactly, it’s a legitimate question. I think the one thing is that wildfire smoke is potentially carrying plastics and pesticides and other chemicals that may not be there in the average campfire. But it’s not healthy to repeatedly breathe campfire smoke, either.

You keep making that puzzling statement. I remember this from the other wildfire thread because it was such a strange statement. Where do you think pesticides/plastics come from in wild fires??

If buildings are burning down, all of those things could be inside.

how many buildings are burning down in Canadian wilderness PP? Probably small cabin or two, if any. Is that your concern? what people might have in those log cabins?

Are you really arguing that it’s nbd?

bad air quality from smoke is. plastics and pesticides are not. absolutely no big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was up in Grand Rapids, MI yesterday for work and holy balls was it terrible there. I bought a mask at the drug store, it was so terrible.

+1 Chicago and Detroit have the worst AQ in the world right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a question - if smoke drifting over from hundreds of miles away is so bad... Isn't it bad to have bonfires and other controlled fires during the summer? Is smoke exposure worse from the wildfires that are in Cananda, or is it worse from the bonfire your kids are toasting smores over?

Ugh PP. Size of the fire. Think about that. Who has bonfire that you can from space?

But if you measured air quality in your yard while burning the bonfire, wouldn't the air be full of particulates? But we don't question the repeated exposure of campfires, grilling, etc.

We definitely need to start regulating bonfires used to cook smores.