What's in wildfire smoke? How it can impact your health

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Friday, August 17, 2018
Wildfire smoke: How it can impact your health
If you happen to inhale wildfire smoke, you could be breathing in all kinds of dangerous things, according to AccuWeather.

If you happen to inhale wildfire smoke, you could be breathing in all kinds of dangerous things, according to AccuWeather.

"It's not only wood, it's also everything else in the forest. It could be structures. Especially if there's cars or any other industrial things being burned, that just adds a lot of factors into what's in the wildfire smoke," AccuWeather meteorologist Faith Eherts explained.

Small particles can enter your lungs, making it harder to breathe. You could also be inhaling toxic gases from burning synthetic materials.

MORE: Wildfire weather: How massive blazes can cause firenadoes, thunderstorms

"It could be chemicals and rubber and whatever is stored in the house; that's added to the mix and that can be particularly more toxic," ear, nose and throat specialist Dr. Andrew Ordon said.

Carbon monoxide is the most common gas found in wildfire smoke. It can be deadly, even in small quantities.

Heat is also a major threat. When toxic gases heat up, they can burn your respiratory tract. When the air gets hot enough, a single breath can be fatal.