Protecting Kids and Schools from Smoke

Kids breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults, have narrower airways, and their lungs are still developing through their late teens. Wildfire smoke and ozone hit them harder. The good news: a few cheap, consistent moves cut their exposure dramatically.

Why it matters

The EPA's children's health office is direct about this: children are more vulnerable to wildfire smoke than adults, both because of their physiology and because they spend more time outdoors. Asthma rates in school-age kids are around 6% to 8% in the US, and smoke exposure is one of the most reliable asthma triggers. School activity guidance from multiple state health departments recommends moving recess and PE indoors at AQI 101 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) and canceling outdoor activity above 150.

What to do at home

Set lower thresholds than the general public

Use AQI 100 as the move-indoors line for kids, not 150. For kids with asthma, set the line at 75 or follow their pediatrician's plan.

Make one room a clean room

Pick a bedroom or family room, close the windows and doors, and run a HEPA purifier sized for the space (CADR roughly two-thirds of the square footage). On heavy smoke days, this is where the family hangs out. See the separate article on building a clean air room.

Skip masks for young kids

EPA and CDC are clear: standard N95s are not sized for children's faces and do not seal. A poorly fitted respirator is mostly placebo. For kids over about 7 with smaller faces, child-sized KN95s and KF94s (Happy Mask, Bluna, BOTN sizes for kids) can work if the fit is tight. For toddlers and younger, the better move is to stay indoors with filtered air.

Watch for symptoms

Coughing, wheezing, complaints of chest tightness, fast breathing, fatigue, headache, or scratchy throat are all early signs. Pull them inside, run the purifier, push fluids. Use the asthma action plan if there is one. Call the pediatrician for escalation.

What to do at schools

Push schools (or know what to ask if you're a school) to follow these basics:

• Move recess, PE, and sports indoors at AQI 101, cancel outdoor at 151.
• Upgrade HVAC filters to MERV 13 where the system supports it. Run the fan continuously during smoke events.
• Place portable HEPA purifiers in every classroom, sized to the room. School-grade Corsi-Rosenthal boxes also work and cost about $65 each.
• Keep doors and windows closed during smoke events. Tape weatherstripping if leaks are noticeable.
• Have a written smoke response plan, with thresholds tied to AQI and the protocol for notifying families.

The EPA's "Smoke-Ready Schools" guidance covers all of this in detail and is what to point administrators to if your school doesn't have a plan.

What to avoid

• Sending a kid to school with an ill-fitting adult N95. It does almost nothing and gives false confidence.
• Outdoor sports practice on smoke days. "We need the conditioning" is not a reason to expose growing lungs to PM2.5.
• Relying only on cloth masks. They filter under 30% of fine particles.
• Ignoring after-hours exposure. Bus rides, after-school programs, and weekend activities all count.

Quick checklist

• AQI 100 indoors threshold for kids, 75 for kids with asthma.
• One clean room at home with a HEPA purifier sized to the space.
• Properly sized child KN95 or KF94 only if it actually seals; otherwise stay indoors.
• Asthma action plan up to date, rescue inhaler at school.
• School has MERV 13 HVAC, classroom HEPA units, and a written smoke response plan.
• Symptoms (cough, wheeze, chest tightness) means indoors and reassess.

Sources

• Protect Children from Wildfires, Smoke, and Volcanic Ash, US EPA
• Protecting Children from Wildfire Smoke and Ash (PEHSU Factsheet), AirNow
• Outdoor Air Quality Guidance for Schools and Child Care, Minnesota Department of Health
• Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality in Schools, US EPA
• Guidance for Schools During Wildfire Smoke Events, California OEHHA
• Smoke-Ready Schools Webinar, US EPA