Wildfire Smoke in Canada: Masks & Clean Indoor Air

N95

Health Canada says a well-fitting, properly worn NIOSH-certified N95 or equivalent respirator can reduce exposure to the fine particles in wildfire smoke. It does not protect against the gases in smoke.

Source: Health Canada

Age 2+

Respirators are not for children under 2, according to Health Canada's wildfire smoke guidance.

Source: Health Canada

5 years

Common manufacturer-set shelf life for N95 respirators. Some models are rated for 3 years, so check the date on the box.

Source: CDC / NIOSH

What wildfire smoke is and who it affects

Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and very fine particles. The particles are the main health concern for the public because they are small enough to reach deep into the lungs. During the 2023 wildfire season, smoke from Canadian fires covered most of eastern North America in June, far from the fires themselves.

Everyone notices heavy smoke, but some people are affected sooner and more seriously: those with asthma, lung or heart conditions, older adults, pregnant people, infants and young children, and anyone working outdoors.

Before smoke season

The most effective protection is clean air indoors, and it needs to be arranged before the air turns orange.

Choose one room, usually a bedroom, to keep as clean as possible. A portable air cleaner with a HEPA filter sized for that room does most of the work.
Buy spare filters for the air cleaner and the furnace before the season, when they are still in stock.
Keep NIOSH-approved N95 respirators for each adult and try them on now. The Smoke Pack pairs N95s with goggles for irritated eyes.
If anyone in the home has asthma or a heart or lung condition, ask their doctor or pharmacist for a smoke plan and keep their medications topped up.
Learn where to read the Air Quality Health Index for your area.

During a smoke event

Stay indoors with windows and doors closed, and run the air cleaner in your chosen room. Set the furnace or air conditioner to recirculate if it has that setting. Cut back on anything that adds particles indoors, such as frying, candles and vacuuming without a HEPA filter.

Limit time and effort outdoors. If you have to be outside, a properly fitted N95 reduces the particles you inhale. Press the nose clip to shape, check that air is not leaking at the edges, and replace the mask when it becomes hard to breathe through, damp or dirty.

Closed windows in hot weather can make a home dangerously warm. If you cannot keep cool, spend time somewhere with filtered, cooled air such as a library or community centre. If the fire itself is close, smoke is no longer the main issue: follow the guidance on evacuation.

Common mistakes

Masks help, within limits that are worth being exact about.

Expecting a mask to stop everything in smoke. N95 and P100 filters remove particles only. They do not filter gases, they do not stop carbon monoxide, and they do not supply oxygen.
Wearing a respirator over a beard. Facial hair breaks the seal, and unfiltered air takes the easy route around the edge.
Using cloth or surgical masks. They fit loosely and do little against fine smoke particles.
Putting adult respirators on small children. N95s are designed for adult faces and may not seal on a child. For children, clean indoor air is the reliable measure.
Treating a cartridge respirator as fire protection. A half-face respirator with P100 and organic-vapour cartridges seals better and reduces some smoke odours and vapours. It is still no protection against carbon monoxide, and it is not for entering a fire area.

Ready-made

Kits that help with this

You can assemble all of this yourself. These are the ones we build for it.

Wildfire smoke · 2 people

Smoke Pack

Ten NIOSH-approved N95 respirators in two sizes, two pairs of sealed goggles and a fit-check card, in a flat pouch that slips into any kit.

$45

Reusable · P100 + vapour

Half-Face Respirator Kit

A reusable silicone half-face respirator with two pairs of P100 filters and one pair of organic vapour and acid gas cartridges.

$89

Our pick

72 hours · 1 person

Go Bag 72 Plus

Everything in Core, upgraded where it counts: about 2,400 kcal a day, a squeeze filter plus tablets, a 10,000 mAh power bank and a warmer sleep setup.

$249

300 Wh · LiFePO4

Power 300

A 300 Wh portable power station with a 300 W pure sine-wave outlet. Roughly 15 to 20 phone charges, or a router for 17 hours.

$399

Wildfire smoke: common questions

Do N95 masks protect against wildfire smoke?

Partly. Health Canada says a well-fitting, properly worn NIOSH-certified N95 can reduce your exposure to the fine particles in wildfire smoke. It does not protect against the gases in smoke, including carbon monoxide, and it only works if it seals to your face.

Can children wear N95 masks for smoke?

Health Canada says respirators should not be used on children under 2. For older children, NIOSH notes that respirators are designed for adult faces and smaller sizes may not have been tested for broad use in children, so the fit is uncertain. Keeping children indoors in a room with filtered air is the more dependable approach.

How do I keep wildfire smoke out of my house?

Close windows and doors, set your furnace or air conditioner to recirculate, and run a portable HEPA air cleaner in the room where you spend the most time. Avoid frying, burning candles or anything else that adds particles indoors.

Do N95 masks expire?

Yes. Manufacturers set a shelf life, commonly five years and sometimes three, and it is printed on the box. Past that date the mask is no longer considered NIOSH-approved, so replace stored masks on schedule.

This guide is general information. Always follow instructions from local emergency officials, and call 911 in a life-threatening emergency.

More guides

Not sure which kit you need?

Tell us who you are preparing for, how long, and what worries you. We will build the kit in three questions.

Find my kit

How to prepare for wildfire smoke