Current air pollution in Virginia can exacerbate heart, lung conditions

The wildfire smoke traveling down from Canada could exacerbate certain health conditions for Virginians. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.

The state-monitored AQI, or air quality index, is currently showing unhealthy levels of pollution in many parts of the state due to the smoke. Dr. Kyle Enfield, who works in pulmonary and critical care medicine at UVA Health, said that's especially concerning for those with underlying conditions like asthma or COPD.

KYLE ENFIELD: Right now I'm in Crozet, Virginia, and our AQI reading is 197, which is in the upper level of red. … People that have underlying heart and lung disease, older adults, children, and teenagers, they really should be trying to avoid long and intense outdoor activities. … I think everyone, at those kinds of levels, should be thinking about how long they're outside, and plan on taking more breaks right now. If we see levels get above 200, most people should be trying to move things indoors if they can at that point in time.

He said there can be a few days' lag time between exposure to the smoke and showing signs of illness.

ENFIELD: What I hope people will also take from this event is that the air we breathe locally is shared globally. ... Our environment is shared and we need to take care of it, because right now we're on a course for this to become a more frequent activity.

If you have an underlying condition and have to be outside, wearing an N95 mask will give you more protection from particulate matter than a surgical or cloth mask. But the safest thing to do is stay in.