Smoke Ready Week: Prepare Your Home and Health Before Wildfire Smoke Reaches the Northwest

Air quality agencies across the Pacific Northwest observed the first week of June as "Smoke Ready Week," urging residents to take proactive steps now to protect their health before wildfire smoke events begin this summer. With forecasters projecting an above-normal fire season for Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, health officials say preparation before smoke arrives is far more effective than reacting during an active event.

Why Early Preparation Matters

When a major smoke event hits, demand for N95 respirators, portable air purifiers, and replacement HEPA filters surges quickly — leaving stores empty and online orders with multi-week backlogs. The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) and other Northwest air quality agencies note that investing in preparedness before smoke season means having the tools you need when the smoke arrives, not after.

This year's threat is particularly acute. Some early-season fires in 2026 are burning in heavier timber fuels at higher elevations than is typical for early June, generating denser smoke than grass fires and affecting a broader geographic area. Combined with the potential for a mid-June heat dome over Washington and Oregon, smoke events may arrive earlier and be more persistent than in recent years.

Understanding Smoke and Health

Wildfire smoke contains fine particulate matter — PM2.5 — microscopic particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Health effects range from mild irritation to serious cardiovascular and respiratory events. Prolonged or heavy exposure can:

Irritate eyes, nose, throat, and airways
Trigger asthma attacks and worsen COPD
Increase risk of heart attack and stroke, especially in older adults
Impair lung development in children
Cause pregnancy complications with sustained heavy exposure

Sensitive populations — including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions — face elevated health risks at lower smoke concentrations than healthy adults.

How to Prepare Your Home

Health officials recommend the following steps before smoke season peaks:

Purchase N95 or KN95 respirators for all household members. Cloth and surgical masks do not adequately filter PM2.5 particles. Have enough for extended use.
Set up a clean room. Designate one room in your home where you can seal gaps around doors and windows and run a portable air purifier. HEPA-rated purifiers are most effective at reducing indoor PM2.5.
Check or replace your HVAC filter. Use a MERV-13 or higher filter if your system supports it, which will help remove smoke particles from circulated indoor air.
Check your vehicle's cabin air filter. A fresh cabin air filter significantly reduces smoke exposure during vehicle travel and evacuation.
Make a plan for vulnerable household members. Know where cooling and clean-air centers will be in your community and how to access transportation if needed.

Know Your Air Quality Resources

Before and during smoke events, monitor conditions through these resources:

AirNow.gov — Real-time AQI data and smoke forecasts nationwide
Oregon DEQ AirQuality.oregon.gov — Oregon-specific monitoring and advisories
Washington Dept. of Ecology Air Quality — Statewide monitoring network and forecasts
Idaho DEQ Air Quality — Idaho monitoring and smoke event notifications
FireSmoke.ca — BlueSky Canada smoke forecast system covering the Pacific Northwest
PurpleAir.com — Community sensor network for hyperlocal air quality readings

The AirNow Fire and Smoke Map at fire.airnow.gov provides a combined view of satellite fire detections and air quality monitoring data, updated multiple times daily.

When Smoke Arrives: Key Actions