Canadian Wildfire Smoke Causes Hazardous Air Quality in Northeast Ohio

You can see it, smell it and taste it. Current Canadian wildfire smoke is a serious health threat in Northeast Ohio.

Three years ago, notable headline-making instances of wildfire smoke in Cleveland showed scenes of hazy city skylines and low visibility.

This time around, the smoke is ground level, and also extends a few thousand feet into the atmosphere, according to David Marsalek, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Cleveland office.

“Not every time we get affected by smoke, it’s at the ground level,” Marsalek says. “It’s definitely at the ground level and pretty thick for the most part.”

Marsalek says the wildfire smoke is uniformly affecting much of Northern Ohio today. NWS has issued an Air Quality Alert until midnight, which may extend into Friday. Shifts in wind patterns this weekend may push the smoke out of the region.

Currently, the air is so thick with smoke, Northeast Ohio hospitals expect more patients at emergency rooms with breathing issues.

“We know that air pollution in general can really trigger a number of health issues, including simple things that we think about like asthma or COPD,” Cleveland Clinic pulmonologist Dr. Samuel Gurevich said in a press release, “but they can actually also trigger cardiovascular events. And smoke from wildfires is no exception.”

Gurevich said that this unhealthy air can trigger cardiovascular events and serious pulmonary issues in some individuals. But anyone can likely feel the effects of breathing in the smoky air.

“They actually put into the air a lot of what we call particulate matter, which are these very, very fine particles of dust and other organic matter that then can easily be breathed in and can irritate the airways or even be absorbed into the bloodstream,” Gurevich says.

Mentor resident and registered nurse Mary Petrak, who lives with a chronic respiratory issue, says she’s taking extra precaution. 

“This is difficult for me and others,” she says. “I’m taking the NWS and local health officials’ advice by staying inside my home all day. I’m also thinking about those who work outside, like my son and sisters who are letter carriers.”

The NWS recommends Northeast Ohioans stay inside with air conditioning, as it’s the best way to avoid the smoke. However, the smoke is so intense that air conditioners may still pump unhealthy air inside homes and businesses. Cleveland Clinic officials advise to consider giving your air conditioners a break a few times a day by shutting it off. 

“My heart goes out to people who don’t have air conditioning.” Gurevich added in a separate statement, “If you must go outside, wear a N-95 mask.”

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