Wildfire smoke has pushed air quality into dangerous territory across parts of Washington, and state health officials are urging residents to limit their exposure, particularly while temperatures stay high. An air quality alert is in effect for seven counties, with a heat advisory covering most of western Washington.
Annie Doubleday, an air quality epidemiologist with the state Department of Health, said the two conditions compound each other. Heat forces the heart to work harder, and smoke adds further strain on the heart and lungs. The effects are more pronounced for older adults, people with underlying health conditions and children, who take in more smoke relative to their body weight than adults do.