Wildfire Smoke Air Filtration

As the frequency of wildfires increases throughout the United States, the health implications of wildfire smoke are becoming increasingly significant for schools, businessed, and warehouses in areas often impacted by these natural disasters. Leaders from the education, air quality, and public health communities have recognized the severity of the issue and, in response, established a working group to develop state guidance regarding air quality for California’s 1,026 school districts during wildfire smoke days.

When a wildfire occurs, the smoke it produces can significantly impact air quality, both outdoors and indoors. Wildfire smoke contains a variety of harmful substances, including fine particles (PM2.5), particulate matter, carbon monoxide, VOCs, and heavy metals. Generally 2.5 µm in diameter or smaller represent a main pollutant emitted from wildfire smoke, comprising approximately 90% of total particle mass, making it a major health concern, especially in regions frequently affected by wildfires.

According to the State of California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), wildfire smoke can be carried by wind and become a hazard for employees working in indoor workplaces, even those located many miles from evacuation zones.

The particle pollution found in the smoke from wildfires can cause irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat and penetrate deep into the lungs when inhaled, potentially causing or worsening respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Wildfire smoke can also increase the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular issues.

Children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with pre-existing medical conditions, particularly respiratory or heart disease, are at a higher risk from wildfire smoke. Even healthy individuals can experience symptoms after extended exposure. While most of the health effects associated with wildfire smoke are temporary, repeated exposure may have long-term health impacts, including potential risks for lung cancer and other respiratory diseases.

Because the particles in wildfire smoke are so small, it can seep into buildings and warehouses through ventilation systems, gaps around windows and doors, and other openings, negatively impacting indoor air quality. If you go to school, work, or own a business in an area prone to wildfires, a reliable air filtration system is essential for preventing health and safety risks and maintaining good indoor air quality when smoke is present.

Schools, businesses, and warehouses require more powerful air filtration solutions. Commercial and industrial air cleaners, many equipped with carbon or HEPA filters, can handle larger volumes of air. These units are designed to remove the majority of harmful particles present in wildfire smoke.

Blue Ox air filtration systems are designed to improve indoor air quality for business of all types and sizes. Our air cleaning systems are available in two distinct airflow layouts. The first one utilizes a pass-thru design, featuring a grill/fan on one end and filters on the opposite end. It operates by drawing in contaminated air through the filters and expelling it via the grill at the other end, establishing a direct-flow mechanism.

The second airflow layout is the T style, where the grill/fan is centrally located and pulls in polluted air through filters positioned on either side, emitting clean air from the unit's core. This design offers double the filtration capacity compared to the pass-thru model, with twice the filter media installed within the same unit.

Both unit types exchange the air in a room eight times per hour, eliminating 95% of wildfire smoke, VOCs, and additional particle pollution that may infiltration your school, business or warehouse. The type of air filtration system required to eliminate wildfire smoke will vary based on the size of the facility. Medium and larger-sized facilities often need to install multiple units to create a circular air pattern and achieve the proper amount of air exchanges.