Wildfire season and road trip season often overlap.
You can plan a perfect week of scenic drives and short hikes, then wake up to a hazy orange sky.
Smoke does not stay near the fire.
According to AirNow, smoke can travel a long distance from a fire.
That means it can affect your trip even if no fire is anywhere near your route.
This guide explains how to check the air, how to read the numbers and how to adjust your plans.
Why smoke matters on a road trip
At home, you can stay indoors when the air is bad.
On the road, you spend more time outside than usual.
You hike, walk around viewpoints, eat at picnic tables and pump gas.
Each of those moments adds to the smoke you breathe.
Smoke can also reduce visibility on the road.
Thick haze makes it harder to see the car ahead, much like fog.
Planning around smoke protects both your health and your driving.
Check the air before you leave each morning
AirNow, run with the Environmental Protection Agency, offers a free Fire and Smoke Map.
It shows air quality readings and smoke conditions near you and along your route.
Make it part of your morning routine during fire season.
- Check the map for the place you are leaving.
- Check it for your destination and the stops in between.
- Look again at midday if you plan outdoor activities in the afternoon.
AirNow notes that smoke levels can change a lot during the day.
A smoky morning can clear by afternoon, and a clear morning can turn hazy.
If the air is bad, wait until it improves before you are active outdoors.
How to read the Air Quality Index
The Air Quality Index, or AQI, is the EPA scale for outdoor air quality.
The higher the number, the more pollution in the air and the greater the health concern.
AirNow splits the scale into six color-coded categories.
- Green, 0 to 50: Good. Air pollution poses little or no risk.
- Yellow, 51 to 100: Moderate. Unusually sensitive people may face some risk.
- Orange, 101 to 150: Unhealthy for sensitive groups. The general public is less likely to be affected.
- Red, 151 to 200: Unhealthy. Some members of the public may feel effects.
- Purple, 201 to 300: Very unhealthy. The risk is increased for everyone.
- Maroon, 301 and higher: Hazardous. Everyone is more likely to be affected.
AirNow explains that values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory.
Above 100, the air becomes unhealthy, first for sensitive groups and then for everyone.
If someone in your car has asthma, heart disease or another health condition, plan around the orange level.
Ask their doctor before the trip how they should handle smoky days.
Adjust outdoor plans on smoky days
Smoke does not have to cancel the whole trip.
It usually means shifting what you do and when you do it.
AirNow gives clear advice for reducing smoke exposure outdoors.
- Take it easier and limit strenuous activity.
- Choose lower-intensity activities, like a short walk instead of a long hike.
- If it looks or smells smoky, skip running and hard exercise.
- Reschedule outdoor plans to a time when air quality improves.
- Limit time outside to essential activities when the air is poor.
- Take frequent breaks indoors in places where the air is clean.
On a road trip, that might mean swapping a big hike for a museum or a visitor center.
You might drive a scenic loop with the windows up instead of hiking it.
A flexible plan makes these swaps easy.
Choose the right mask
Not every mask helps with smoke.
AirNow states that cloth masks will not protect you from wildfire smoke.
N95 respirator masks can provide protection.
If you travel during fire season, pack a few N95 masks in the glove box.
They are useful at gas stations, viewpoints and short stops when smoke is heavy.
Follow the instructions on the package so the mask fits well.
Keep the air inside the car cleaner
Your car can be a useful shelter from outdoor smoke.
A few simple habits help.
- Keep the windows closed while driving through smoky areas.
- Use the recirculate setting on your climate control so the car pulls in less outside air.
- Run the air conditioning on hot days so you do not need to open windows.
- Check that the cabin air filter is not overdue for replacement before fire season.
Your owner's manual explains where the cabin air filter is and how often to change it.
Our guide on A/C or open windows on a road trip covers how the A/C affects fuel use.
Find clean air when you stop
AirNow suggests seeking relief in a large building with air conditioning and good filtration.
On a road trip, that could be a library, a shopping center, a museum or a visitor center.
When you choose lodging on a smoky day, an indoor room with working air conditioning is a smart pick.
Keep the windows and doors closed once you are inside.
Driving through smoke and haze
Heavy smoke can make the road look like it is covered in fog.
Treat it the same way.
- Slow down to match how far you can see.
- Use your low-beam headlights so other drivers can see you.
- Leave extra distance from the car ahead.
- Pull off at a safe place if visibility becomes too poor to drive.
Our guide on driving in fog explains more low-visibility habits.
Stay alert for closures and evacuations
Smoke is a sign that fire may be closer than you think.
AirNow advises staying tuned to local news in case you are asked to evacuate.
On a road trip, you may not know the local stations.
Check road closures and park alerts before each drive.
Follow every instruction from local officials, even if it means changing your route.
Keep the gas tank above half so you can leave quickly or take a detour.
Do not forget your pets
Dogs and cats on the trip breathe the same smoky air.
AirNow notes that pets can be affected by wildfire smoke too.
Keep their walks short on smoky days and watch them for signs of trouble.
Never leave a pet in a parked car, smoke or no smoke.
Our guide on road trips in hot weather explains why.
A smoky-day checklist
- Fire and Smoke Map checked for every stop on the day's route.
- AQI noted, with a plan for orange and red levels.
- N95 masks packed in the glove box.
- Windows up and climate control on recirculate.
- Strenuous outdoor plans swapped for indoor stops.
- Road closures and park alerts checked.
- Gas tank kept above half.
The bottom line
Wildfire smoke can travel far and change fast.
Check the air every morning, read the AQI colors and adjust your plans to match.
Use an N95 instead of a cloth mask, and keep the car's windows up in heavy smoke.
A flexible plan keeps the trip going while protecting everyone's lungs.
Sources and Further Reading
- AirNow: When Smoke Is in the Air — supports how far smoke travels, how smoke levels change during the day, ways to reduce exposure outdoors, the guidance on cloth and N95 masks, clean air buildings, evacuation and pets.
- AirNow: Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics — supports the six AQI categories, their colors, value ranges and what each level means for health.
- AirNow: Wildfires — supports the Fire and Smoke Map as a tool to check smoke and air quality near you.