* Pay attention to local air quality reports, news coverage or health warnings
related to smoke.
* Use common sense when outside conditions are smoky. Avoid prolonged outdoor
activities. It is especially important to limit time spent outdoors for
children and persons with existing medical conditions.
* Stay indoors and run your air conditioner, if you have one. Keep the fresh
air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke
inside. For best results, run the air conditioning with re-circulated air.
Note: If you do not have an air conditioner, staying inside with the windows
closed may be dangerous in extremely hot weather. In these cases, seek
alternative shelter.
* Help keep particle levels lower inside. When smoke levels are high, try to
avoid using anything that burns, such as wood fireplaces, gas logs, gas stoves
and even candles. Do not vacuum, which stirs up particles already inside your
home. Also do not smoke tobacco.
* Follow your doctor's advice about taking medicines and following your asthma
management plan if you have asthma or other lung disease. Call your doctor if
your symptoms worsen.
That irritating smoke that everybody in Tampa Bay is experiencing Thursday morning is coming from a 30,000-acre fire burning near the Osceola National Forest the past four days, according to a spokesman for the Florida Forest Service.
The Pinellas County Division of Air Quality has issued an Air Pollution advisory due to elevated levels of the pollutant particulate matter and dense smoke.
The Hillsborough County Health Department is also springing into action, warning local citizens that wildfire smoke is a respiratory irritant that can cause scratchy throat or irritated eyes and nose. It can also aggravate those with asthma or other chronic respiratory or lung conditions.
The agency has just issued out a release on what people should do under these circumstances:
