When Wildfire Season Hits

Jul 19
4 min read

Simple Steps to Keep Seniors Safe and Breathing Easy

If you have ever stepped outside on a summer morning and smelled smoke before you saw a single cloud, you know the uneasy feeling wildfire season can bring.

Older adults are among the people most at risk from wildfire smoke, right alongside folks with asthma, COPD, heart disease, and diabetes. Smoke irritates the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, and it can make breathing harder, trigger coughing or wheezing, and quietly worsen heart and lung conditions that someone has managed just fine for years. (cdc.gov)

So, whether you are a senior living on your own, caring for an elderly spouse, or a son or daughter worrying about a parent who lives alone across town, let's walk through how to stay safe, calm, and prepared before, during, and after a wildfire.

Before There's Ever a Flame: Get Ready Early

The single best thing you can do is prepare before fire season heats up. When an evacuation order comes, there is rarely time to think clearly, so the planning has to happen now, on a quiet afternoon with a cup of coffee.

A few things I always recommend:

Sign up for local emergency alerts. Most counties offer free text or phone alerts, and many areas use a "Ready, Set, Go" warning system. For someone living alone, these alerts can be lifesaving.
Pack a "go-bag" you can grab in under five minutes. Aim for at least a 5-day supply of food, water, and especially medications, since pharmacies may be closed or evacuated. (cdc.gov)
Keep a written medication list and copies of important documents (ID, insurance cards, doctor contacts) in a waterproof folder. Memory and stress don't mix well, so writing it down matters.
Know two evacuation routes out of the neighborhood, not just one. Roads close during fires.
Plan for mobility needs ahead of time. If a senior uses a walker, wheelchair, oxygen, or can't drive, decide now who will help them leave and how.

When You Get a Wildfire Alert: Stay Calm and Act

A wildfire alert doesn't always mean "leave this second," but it does mean "pay attention and be ready." Here's how to respond:

Check the air quality. Look up the Air Quality Index (AQI) at AirNow.gov or on a phone's weather app, and use AirNow's Fire and Smoke Map to see fires and smoke nearby. (airnow.gov) (cdc.gov)
If you're told to evacuate, go. Please don't wait to "see how bad it gets." Seniors and those helping them need a head start, and leaving early is always safer than leaving late.
If you're staying put, get the home ready. Close all windows and doors, turn the air conditioner to recirculate (so it isn't pulling in smoky outside air), and gather everyone into one room you can keep clean.

The Most Important Rule During Smoke: Protect the Air You Breathe

For seniors sheltering at home, staying indoors in clean air is the best protection against wildfire smoke. (cdc.gov)

Here's how to create a clean-air space:

Pick one room you can close off from outside air, ideally one with a comfortable chair, a bed, and a bathroom nearby.
Run a portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter in that room. This is one of the best investments a senior household can make during fire season. (epa.gov)
Keep windows and doors closed and avoid anything that adds indoor smoke or particles: no candles, no frying or broiling food, no vacuuming, and no wood stoves.
If you have central air or a furnace, use a high-efficiency filter (MERV 13 or higher if your system allows) and set it to recirculate.
Avoid going outside for errands or yard work until the air clears, and skip outdoor exercise entirely on smoky days.

About masks: a cloth or surgical mask will not protect the lungs from fine wildfire smoke. If a senior must be outside briefly in smoky air, a properly fitted N95 respirator is the one that helps. That said, N95s make breathing take more effort, so anyone with serious heart or lung disease should check with their provider first, and should never push through dizziness or shortness of breath. (cdc.gov)

Watch for Warning Signs

This is where loved ones really matter. Smoke can worsen existing conditions slowly, and an older adult may not mention it. Keep an eye out for new or worsening:

Shortness of breath, wheezing, or a cough that won't ease
Chest tightness or pain
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or unusual fatigue
Confusion or trouble staying alert
A rapid or pounding heartbeat

If any of these appear, especially in someone with heart or lung disease, don't wait it out; call their provider and call 911 for chest pain or serious trouble breathing. (cdc.gov)

Final Thoughts

Wildfire season can feel scary, especially for someone facing it alone or caring for a spouse who needs extra help. But preparation turns fear into confidence. A packed bag by the door, a clean-air room, and a clear plan can make all the difference.

And please remember, you don't have to manage all of this by yourself. At Blue Skies Nursing, we help seniors and their families build a safety plan that fits their real life, from medication management and emergency preparedness to in-home check-ins that give everyone peace of mind during fire season and beyond.

If you'd like help putting a wildfire-ready plan in place for yourself or a loved one, reach out for a free consultation.

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Stay safe, breathe easy, and look out for one another.

Together... we've got this!