Fire is part of the romance of summer. Don’t you just love an evening sitting on a blanket at the beach next to a roaring bonfire? Gathering with friends around a backyard fire pit sharing food and laughter? Building a campfire and cooking gooey s’mores with your children?
Those nights make memories. Unfortunately, they could also lead to lung problems.
The good news is that there are ways to enjoy summer’s fun fires while minimizing the possible damage to your lungs. Christian Bime, MD, a critical care medicine specialist with a focus on pulmonology with Banner — University Medicine, outlined the risks and offered tips for safer summertime evenings.
What are the campfire smoke health risks?
You know what it’s like when you spend an evening around a summer fire. The smoke from wood gets into everything — your clothes, blankets, towels and even your hair. That smoke gets into your lungs, too.
You breathe in soot — tiny irritants, particulates and chemicals — in the smoke. “Summer fires can generate what we call particulate matter,” Dr. Bime said.
The particulates are very small —30 times smaller than the width of a human hair. These smaller particulates pose a bigger risk to your health than larger pieces, and your lungs and the heart are at the greatest risk. Particulates can trigger inflammation and irritation in your respiratory tract, causing coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath as well as eye irritation and headaches.
The danger of lung or heart problems is highest for people with other conditions, such as:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Interstitial lung disease
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeats
Children are also at high risk, because their lungs are still developing, and they might have undiagnosed asthma or reactive airway disease. And older adults’ risk is higher because they are more likely to have chronic heart and lung conditions. People who have recently recovered from a serious illness are also at higher risk.
“Many studies have linked exposures to small particulates with increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits and even deaths,” Dr. Bime said. “High-risk folks should consider alternatives to repeated exposure to particulates.”
And the health effects aren’t always clear right away. Long-term exposure to tiny particulates from smoke can lead to low lung function, chronic bronchitis and premature death.
Along with small particulates, you might also be breathing in harmful gases such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), depending on the type of wood you’re burning. “Many people do not realize that burning certain types of wood can release potential toxins,” Dr. Bime said.
How can you enjoy summer campfires more safely?
You can find safer, healthier ways to enjoy campfires and firepits while minimizing campfire smoke exposure:
- Choose a site with good natural ventilation, such as an open clearing or a spot with a gentle breeze. Airflow helps disperse smoke and reduce the number of particulates in your area. “The most important thing is to burn the campfire in a place where there’s enough air circulating so that you’re not inhaling all the toxins,” Dr. Bime said.
- Pay attention to the direction of the wind. Sit upwind from the campfire so it’s less likely the smoke will blow directly toward you.
- Sit further back from the fire to minimize your smoke exposure.
- If possible, choose natural gas or propane instead of wood.
- If you burn pieces of wood, use dry, seasoned firewood, which burns more cleanly and with less smoke than wet or green wood.
- Don’t burn plastic, treated wood, rubber or trash. They can release toxic fumes. “People throw things in campfires and we don’t know what components are released. They may have toxic effects in the long term,” Dr. Bime said.
- Keep your fire steady and controlled. Don’t overload it with excessive fuel, which can make it smolder and create more smoke. Add small amounts of wood as needed to keep your fire burning.
- Use natural fire starters like dried twigs, pinecones or newspaper. Avoid chemicals and accelerants, which can release harmful residues and pollutants into the air.
- Wear a mask or a bandana over your nose and mouth when you’re sitting close to the campfire to help filter out smoke particles. If you have other lung conditions or sensitivities, you may want to wear an N95 mask. Keep extra masks or bandanas on hand so you have enough for you and your camping partners.
- Take breaks away from the campfire so your lungs can recover from the exposure. When you alternate between time near the fire and time away from the smoke, you can reduce the impact on your respiratory system.
- If you notice coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness or throat irritation, you may be having effects from too much smoke exposure. Move away from the campfire and get fresh air.
- Afterward, drink plenty of water to help keep your respiratory tract hydrated and soothe any irritation from the smoke exposure.
- Use saline nasal sprays to moisturize and soothe the inside of your nose if it’s dry or irritated.
- Practice deep breathing exercises to promote better airflow and remove smoke particles from your respiratory system. Take a few slow, deep breaths through your nose to fill your lungs with fresh air, then exhale slowly through your mouth.
- If you have persistent symptoms or feel like there are any lung health problems after smoke exposure, seek medical attention.
The bottom line
Gathering around summer fires can be a fun way to spend time with family and friends. But the smoke from these fires can be dangerous to your health. Play it safe and keep your smoke exposure to a minimum to keep your lungs as healthy as possible.
“People should be able to enjoy campfires. Just weigh the risks and the benefits and take adequate measures to prevent excessive and prolonged inhalation of the smoke,” Dr. Bime said.
If you are concerned you might have lung problems, a pulmonologist can help. Reach out to an expert with Banner Health.
Additional Resources
Looking for more ways to stay safe while you’re having fun this summer? We’ve got you covered:
