Doctors have concerns over air quality affected by wildfires
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - You don't have to live close to a wildfire to be affected by smoke.
A smoke advisory has been issued for our region by the South Coast Air Quality Management District through Wednesday night.
News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke in depth with a local doctor about what people in the valley need to know.
Director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Desert Regional Medical Center Dr. Ziad Tannous says doctors are concerned whenever there's a heavy amount of smoke in the air, which is why everyone impacted should take precautions.
Wildfire smoke can irritate your eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
Doctors say it may contain all kinds of dangerous pollutants, including some that may cause cancer.
The tiniest particles in smoke can travel deep into the lungs or even enter the bloodstream.
Conditions like these are not good for anyone, but they're especially bad for people with heart disease, asthma, and respiratory conditions.
Dr. Tannous says, "If you have to leave, maybe wear a mask, consider seriously wearing a mask. And if you have any worsening of the symptoms like breathing, coughing, tightness in the chest, eyes watering, sneezing a lot, call your doctor right away."
If you have a central heating and air conditioning system, you can keep your indoor air clean by turning it on and keeping it running. Make sure the fresh air intake is closed, so you're not drawing in outdoor air.
