KING COUNTY, Wash. — Smoky air from wildfires across the northwest found its way throughout the Puget Sound this week. The haze caught many people off guard at places like Seahurst Park in Burien.
“Usually, it is very clear. You don’t have this kind of smoky taste in my mouth,” former Burien Mayor Sally Nelson said.
But the smoke in the air didn’t stop people from heading out to enjoy the sunshine. KIRO7 saw plenty of people exercising and playing games.
“We all had the day off, so we just wanted to get out and play,” Chris from Federal Way said.
But the smoky air can sneak up on you when you least expect it.
“I think you can understand that you’re breathing a little heavier. You can feel your heart pumping a little bit harder,” said Justin Gill, Urgent Care Practitioner at Providence.
Gill is also the president of the Washington State Nurses Association. He says people with heart or lung conditions are more susceptible to the pollutants that can be found in smoky air.
“Say with chronic lung conditions, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, like chronic bronchitis or emphysema,” Gill said. “Cardiovascular conditions like heart disease, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure,” he continued.
Gill says whenever the air is hazy from smoke, many people experience symptoms.
“We will see a lot of folks come in with asthma exacerbations, heart disease coming in with say mild chest pain,” Gill said.
That is why he advises people to be cautious if they are outside.
“Know your own medical history. Know your own risks. Really limit your outdoor activities, find a way to really kind of interact with folks, family, and socialize indoors,” Gill said. “Consider getting an air filter or have that air filter that can give you a good amount of reduction in a lot of those pollutants and irritants in your home,” he continued.
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