Wildfire smoke health effects include 'brain fog,' increased heart attack danger. Here's how Long Islanders can protect themselves.

Yellow skies and an acrid smell in the air — Long Island is once again coated with wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada.

People with breathing problems need to be especially cautious, as well as people who work outdoors. But studies have found that wildfire smoke can also effect cognition. Newsday spoke with experts about the health problems associated with wildfire smoke and how to protect yourself.

Here is what you need to know:

What is in the air that makes it dangerous?

Wildfire smoke is composed of many pollutants along with water vapor, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These can be gases like carbon monoxide, organic compounds and particulate matter.

Particulate matter is a combination of solid and liquid often too small to be seen by the naked eye. They can get into a person’s body, lodging in the lungs or other places.

What are the short-term health effects of wildfire smoke?

Breathing in wildfire smoke may cause runny nose, irritated sinuses, headaches and a scratchy throat. For people with certain conditions, the effects can be worse.

"People with asthma or breathing problems may require a trip to the emergency room for oxygen," said Dr. Jacqueline Moline, chair of occupational medicine, epidemiology and prevention at Northwell Health. "It can also cause increased workload on the heart and we know there are increased heart attacks on days where there is bad air pollution.

Other vulnerable populations include people who are pregnant, children and first responders.

How does wildfire smoke impact cognition?

Some studies have shown a link between wildfire smoke exposure and decreased cognitive function.

Researcher Stephanie Cleland, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, was lead author of a 2022 paper that showed that heavier levels of smoke are associated with reduced attention spans within days of exposure.

"The study was motivated by growing anecdotes about people experiencing 'brain fog' during wildfire smoke events," she told Newsday in an email. 

Their findings were higher among people between the age of 18 and 29, those over the age of 70, and men.

What about long-term effects of wildfire smoke exposure?

Wildfire smoke is no longer a one-off event that happens occasionally, it’s something that has become a regular feature of summers across many parts of the U.S., Cleland said. And that means people will see more adverse health impacts.

"At present, we have a pretty good understanding of the effects of short-term exposure, but we’re just starting to understand the effects longer-term exposure," she said. 

Evidence shows longer-term exposure may increase the risk of developing chronic conditions like dementia, she said. 

Yale School of Public Health researchers studied long-term exposure to fine inhalable particles in wildfire smoke and determined they could be associated with "cardiovascular, ischemic heart disease, digestive, endocrine, diabetes, mental, and chronic kidney disease mortality" in a scientific paper published in 2024.

What can I do to protect myself?

If you regularly exercise, this is a day to take a rest, said Moline.

People who work outside need to protect their mouth, nose and eyes, she said.

"They could wear a mask but that could make it more challenging for them to breathe," she said. "Ideally they should avoid the exposure."

People should consider setting up an air purifier in their home and keep air conditioning filters clean.

She also suggested people use their phones to check the air quality before heading outside.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.