What is Smoke?

Wildfire smoke is mostly small particles, gases and water vapor and includes trace amounts of hazardous air pollutants.

Particulate from smoke is a mixture of solid particles - pieces of wood and other solids that are burning - and liquid droplets. It tends to be very small, generally less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. (For comparison, a human hair is about 100 micrometers).

These small particles are more of a health concern than the coarser particles that typically make up road dust because they can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs. To learn more about particulate matter, click here.

The incomplete burning of wood or other organic materials produces carbon monoxide, the gas in smoke. Its levels are highest during the smoldering stages of a fire. To learn more about carbon monoxide, click here.

• Wildfires
• What is smoke?
• Managed Burns
• Impact to You and Air Quality