ROANOKE, Va. – The Bedford County wildfire is causing concern for local doctors and state health experts over exposure to smoke and air pollutants.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is forecasting that air quality in and around Bedford will be Code Orange or Code Red on Thursday.
VDEQ officials say if you can smell or see smoke, you need to take precautions to limit exposure. Local doctors tell 10 News that you could be at risk even if you can’t see anything in the air.
The Code Orange or Code Red warning would apply to 11 counties, including parts of Bedford, Amherst, Rockbridge, Bath and Highland. Children and adults should limit or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities. Anyone with existing heart or lung conditions like asthma should avoid strenuous outdoor activities altogether.
“The bottom line is that the smoke in the air makes it hard to get oxygen in. It causes some increased demand on your cardiovascular system,” said Dr. John Epling, a family physician at Carilion Clinic. “It puts stress on the heart and blood vessels and can cause heart attacks and strokes.”
Young children and babies also need to limit exposure.
Dr. Puneet Chopra is the chairman and medical director of the emergency department at LewisGale Medical Center. He says smoke inhalation can impact everything from your lungs to your heart to your kidneys. He says inhaling air pollution can also put you at a higher risk of catching respiratory viruses like the flu, COVID-19 or RSV.
“Just because you don’t see the smoke, doesn’t mean that it’s not in the air,” said Chopra.
He added that people should monitor their health and watch for any concerning symptoms.
“If it’s anything out of the ordinary where you feel like you’re having worsening shortness of breath, chest pain, definitely if you’re developing fever and a significant cough that’s impacting your breathing, those are good reasons to go seek local medical care.”
Chopra recommends you keep your windows closed, use air filters and wear an N95 mask that can filter out air pollution. Most importantly, he says to check the air quality index and limit your time outside.