IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN

So what's happening when I'm breathing in polluted smoke filled air?

The smoke from wildfires is made up of a number of different compounds: 

"Smoke from wildfires contains thousands of individual compounds, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. The most prevalent pollutant by mass is particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, roughly 50 times smaller than a grain of sand. Its prevalence is one reason health authorities issue air quality warnings using PM2.5 as the metric." - Luke Montrose, Assistant Professor of Community and Environmental Health, Boise State University, USA

Common symptoms associated with exposure are:

• irritated eyes
• hot burning sensation in the lungs
• runny nose
• headaches
• worsening of allergies