EPA’s health guidance for the CURRENT air quality conditions: HAZARDOUS on 7/16/2026 –The advisory will remain in effect until conditions improve. Stay informed by monitoring local air quality updates at www.AirNow.gov and following guidance from the Ohio EPA. It’s important for everyone to reduce their exposure to smoke. Wildfire smoke irritates your eyes, nose, throat, and lungs. It can make it hard to breathe and make you cough or wheeze.

• Everyone: Avoid all physical activity outdoors.
  • Sensitive groups: Remain indoors and keep activity levels low (Children and people with lung diseases such as asthma or COPD, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or who are pregnant)
• Note: If you don’t have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows closed may be dangerous in extremely hot weather. If you are hot, go someplace with air conditioning or check with your local government to find out if cooling centers are available in your community.
  • Recommendations for all air quality conditions can be found here – Guide for Particle Pollution (English) Guide for Particle Pollution (Spanish)

Keep smoke outside

• Choose a room you can close off from outside air.
• Set up a portable air cleaner or a filter to keep the air in this room clean even when it’s smoky in the rest of the building and outdoors. If you use a do-it-yourself box fan filtration unit, never leave it unattended.
• As much as possible, avoid burning anything indoors, including candles, gas, propane, incense or wood. You can also keep indoor air quality safe by not smoking, using a stove to cook, or vacuuming.
• If you have a central air conditioning system, use high efficiency filters (preferably MERV 13 or higher if your system can use it) to help clean the air. If your system has a fresh air intake, set the system to recirculate mode or close the outdoor intake damper.

If you have to go outside, wear a respirator.

• If you must go outside, reduce your smoke exposure by wearing a NIOSH Approved respirator. A respirator is a face covering that fits tightly to your face to filter out smoke before you breathe it in.

Can children wear respirators?

Children ages 2 years and older can wear respirators and masks. However, NIOSH Approved respirators do not come in suitable sizes for very young children.

• Choose a respirator or mask that your child can wear properly. If a respirator or mask fits poorly or is uncomfortable, a child might take it off or wear it incorrectly (for example, pulling it down from their nose). This reduces the intended benefits.
• Choose a size that fits over the child’s nose and under the chin but does not impair vision.
• Follow the user instructions for the respirator or mask. These instructions may show how to make sure it fits properly.

NIOSH Approved respirators and imported respirators may be available in smaller sizes that fit children. However, manufacturers typically design them to be used by adults in workplaces. They may not have been designed or tested for use by children.

Pay attention to health symptoms.

• Pay attention to any health symptoms if you have lung diseases such as asthma or COPD, heart disease, diabetes, or are pregnant. Get medical help if you have any new or worsening symptoms.
• Learn more about protecting yourself from wildfire smoke.

Protect pets and other animals.

• Pets and other animals can be affected by wildfire smoke too. Learn how to protect pets and livestock.
• Some evacuation centers do not accept animals. Check Petfinder’s Shelter Center or RedRover for information on local animal shelters and rescue groups.