Health tips for managing wildfire smoke

Published on June 25, 2026

The Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) encourages the community to take steps to stay safe and healthy when wildfire smoke is present. Due to nighttime inversions, the smoke from the McCauley Springs fire has been condensed and squeezed against the ground and into the canyons. As air heats later in the morning, the inversion will lift, and the smoke should lessen. An interactive smoke map about the impacts of the McCauley Springs fire is available at https://fire.airnow.gov/.

Take steps to stay healthy and safe:

The safest action when heavy smoke is present is to stay inside with windows and doors closed. Avoid all strenuous outdoor physical activity to limit your intake of harmful fine particles. To protect yourself and your home, implement the following steps:

-      Adjust your cooling systems: Turn air conditioners on but close the fresh-air intake damper and set it to recirculate mode to keep outside smoke from being pulled inside.

-      Avoid indoor pollutants: Do not burn candles, use aerosol sprays, fry or broil food, smoke, or vacuum (unless your vacuum has a HEPA filter), as these actions degrade indoor air quality.

-      Wear the Right Mask: If you absolutely must go outside, do not rely on standard dust masks, cloth face coverings, or surgical masks. Use a properly fitting N95 or P100 respirator.

Chief Litzenberg reminds the community that Los Alamos County is in the READY stage and there is no current threat to the County. Residents should visit the website to learn what SET means to be prepared during an active fire season, and sign up for emergency alerts through the County’s Everbridge system in order to stay informed.

LAFD has crews helping with structure protection and emergency medical coverage for the McCauley Springs fire, and will remain available to assist in additional ways, as needed.