Expert: Stay Inside To Avoid Ash, Smoke Exposure During Wildfires

MARINA DEL REY, CA — A Cedars-Sinai lung specialist warned the public Thursday to stay indoors as much as possible to limit exposure to ash and smoke from area wildfires that are causing gloomy skies throughout California.

RELATED: 12 Dead; 3.1M Acres Burned; 3,900 Structures Lost: CA Fires Map

Dr. Zab Mosenifar, medical director of the Women's Guild Lung Institute at the Los Angeles hospital, said he has detected a "noticeable increase in the last few days" of patients complaining of coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.

The impact of exposure to ash and smoke can be "immediate" for those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noting that people with asthma should not even go out for five minutes when the air quality is this bad, Mosenifar said. It is also of concern to the elderly, pregnant women and children.

People who are in good health "may not feel it right at that moment," but may face long-term impacts with repeated exposure, the doctor said.

Those who live even as far away as 25 to 40 miles away from a wildfire can be affected by smaller particles that float through the area and go inside the lungs without being noticed, he said.

"It's very unhealthy," he said.

People should stay indoors when they can, close their windows and run their air conditioning, he said. Masks — particularly N95 masks — are also helpful, he said.

Fires are raging across California, with 3.1 million acres burned so far. The largest fire in the state is the August Fire, which started in a lightning storm on Aug. 17.

In Los Angeles County, the Bobcat Fire in Angeles National Forest that started Sunday exploded to nearly 24,000 acres with 0 percent containment, officials said Thursday.

- City News Service and Patch Editor Nicole Charky contributed to this report.

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