Greetings from Toronto, where I’m visiting my in-laws. Unfortunately, the air quality here has been poor because of wildfire smoke drifting in from hundreds of miles away. It’s a reminder that you no longer have to live near a wildfire to feel its effects.
We live in Southern California, where polluted air—from traffic, industry and wildfires, has become an unfortunate part of life. But what used to feel like a regional problem has become a North American one.
Just in the past few weeks, there have been significant wildfires in California, New Mexico, Colorado and across Canada. Even if you don’t live anywhere near those fires, you may still be breathing their smoke. Cities like Toronto, Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. have all experienced poor air quality because of smoke traveling hundreds, even thousands, of miles. Here’s a good explainer from Reuters why Canada’s wildfire smoke blanketing parts of North America?
Wildfire smoke obviously doesn’t respect state lines or international borders. And that’s what makes it so concerning. Wildfire smoke is filled with tiny, harmful particles (known as PM2.5) that can travel deep into your lungs. Those particles don’t stay outside, either. They can make their way indoors through open windows and doors and even through your home’s HVAC system.
A Lesson We Learned During the Los Angeles Fires
This isn’t a new concern for our family. Last year, during the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, we were fortunate to be about a dozen miles from the flames. We never had to evacuate, but the smoke still had a huge impact on our daily lives.
One afternoon, our son’s school nurse called because he was having trouble breathing after running laps with his friends during recess. She wasn’t comfortable sending him back to class. That phone call changed the way we think about indoor air quality. Since then, whenever outdoor air quality deteriorates, we keep the windows closed and run our air purifiers around the clock.
Why We Use Two Different Air Purifiers
Why We Use Two Different Air PurifiersWe actually have two air purifiers in our home: the Dyson Purifier Cool and the Jaspr. The Dyson has been excellent for helping reduce our son’s day-to-day allergy symptoms. But when outdoor air quality becomes unhealthy because of wildfire smoke, we’ve found ourselves relying much more on the Jaspr.
One thing I’ve noticed is how incredibly sensitive it is. If we’re cooking and accidentally burn a piece of toast or meat, the fans immediately ramp up because it detects the change in air quality. It’s reassuring to know it’s constantly monitoring the air and automatically working harder when it needs to.
Wildfire Smoke Is Only Part of the Problem
Even when there aren’t wildfires burning, our indoor air is filled with things we’d rather not breathe. Pollen. Dust. Pet dander. Mold spores. Cooking particles. Cleaning products. Furniture and building materials that release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most of it is invisible.
The first step is knowing what’s in your air. You can monitor outdoor conditions using your local Air Quality Index (AQI) and, if you want to get more serious, use an indoor air quality monitor to measure particulate matter (PM2.5) and other pollutants. Whenever the AQI climbs above 100, especially for sensitive groups, it’s a good reminder to reduce outdoor exposure and focus on keeping your indoor air as clean as possible.
Why Indoor Air Is Becoming Essential
There was a time when refrigerators were considered a luxury. Today, we wouldn’t imagine living without one because protecting the food our family eats is essential. We filter our drinking water. We heat and cool our homes. Yet most of us still spend the majority of our lives breathing unfiltered indoor air.
As wildfire seasons become longer and smoke travels farther than ever before, I think clean indoor air is becoming another basic part of modern living. Whether you live in California, Canada or somewhere you never expected wildfire smoke to reach, it’s worth thinking about the air you’re breathing inside your home.
A Special Offer for Johnny Jet Readers
If you’ve been thinking about improving your home’s air quality, Jaspr has given Johnny Jet readers an exclusive offer through the end of July.
💨 Save $350 on a Jaspr Air Scrubber
Promo code: JOHNNYJET
Shop here: jaspr.co/johnnyjet
If you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, asthma, or you’re simply tired of worrying about smoke every summer, it’s an investment worth considering.
Here’s hoping for clearer skies ahead.
