Poll: Will polluted air from wildfires affect your future camping?

[John E Davies]

Please vote. I will probably stop camping in the near future, since I have respiratory issues with smoke. I use multiple filters inside the Ollie but sometimes I just feel trapped. It is crazy to get August pollution levels in May. I am in NE Oregon, headed for the coast for some fresh sea air, but the darn smoke is following me there.

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/3291-honeywell-hpa-compact-air-filters-for-pollen-dust-and-smoke-particles/

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5790-how-to-window-dust-pollen-smoke-filter/

Thanks for participating.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Guest]

Hi John, 

I believe another category may be helpful.  We won't stop camping, however, living out west, we are affected by smoke every summer now. We have have changed our destination several times over the last few years resulting in many hours cancelling reservations and looking for somewhere to camp with no smoke/fire AND camping options still available (since everything tends to fill up early now) . We have also completely canceled camping trips when the smoke is too bad. We have gotten a lot of smoke from northern California and southern Oregon the last couple of summers. 

Does smoke/fire severely affect your camping: Yes!

Kirk

[Kathy Tewart]

Sorry to hear this has affected you in this way

[Frank C]

Another voting option is needed- 

”Not affected but still concerned for those who are affected”. 

[LeBill]

We live and camp in the eastern US. Barring drought, wildfires are less a concern, since most are contained early on. However, we’ve been camping in crowded parks where Smokey campfires we’re bothersome. I understand some parks will be designating some areas / loops as “campfire free”. I sincerely hope that western areas address the wildfire issue, as it has affected where we can go, road closures, etc. it’s a shame that it has affected your appreciation for camping to the point of considering not going.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, LeBill said:

Smokey campfires we’re bothersome

Interesting. Carrie and I always carry our propane fire pit with us now. Growing up I was in the group of “it’s not camping without a big wood fire”. It’s good that some of us can evolve. 
Kirk

[2008RN]

The last several years we have had our share of forest fires in Oregon.   I will still camp if I smell the smoke, it has become almost normal in the summer.  I will pick up and go home if there is visible ash in the air, and the sky is grayish orange.  I do not want to get trapped close to a fire. We evacuated a few years ago for a couple of days because the fires were close.  The Oliver is now our relocation home in the advent of another evacuation. 

[routlaw]

Living in SW Montana summer fires have become a major issue here and it's not always the fires within our state. As often as not it has been fires from as far away as CA, OR, WA, NV & ID. Typically the prevailing winds are southwest to northeast this time of year but it can also change to dead west but this past week or so we had AQI's of over 150 on most days due to the fires in Canada especially Alberta. Unusual jet stream for this time of the year. Our valley is surrounded by mountains yet we could not see any of them due to the smoke, well maybe the Bridgers were slightly detectable on a few days in the mornings. And it's only May! This was a first in almost half a century of living here. Every single county within the state was on air quality alerts, and this is the 4th largest state just behind CA in size.

Had planned on going out for a short night or two this past week but what was the point? Nothing to see out there. So yes fires do change when and where we camp. The sad part is there seems to be no end in sight looking into the distant future. It is worth noting today was much better with AQI of mid 40's with all mountain ranges visible. How long this clear spell last is anyone's guess. 

In conclusion I really feel for the folks who travel long distances to see the beauty of the west only to be met with smoke filled skies and no hope of even seeing these majestic landscapes. Safe travels. 

[John E Davies]

FYI…

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/never-experienced-anything-like-this-canadians-stunned-by-wildfire-smoke-213551714.html

It’s coming for you…

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Steph and Dud B]

Dim orange sun in CT today. Visibility only a few miles. Air smells like smoke. AQI 160. Never seen this in CT before. Crazy.

[routlaw]

We had it here back in May for a week or 10 days ± but it's been clear and raining off and on for the last couple of weeks providing fresh clean air quality. But I also know it's only time before we are inundated with smoke again. I am fortunate in that I do not have any respiratory system that is overly affected by smoke but still its rude and not enjoyable. Had hoped Canada had received some of the much needed rain we have had lately, apparently not.

[connor77]

Does anyone know what is causing all these wildfires in recent years?  Is it only drought-like conditions that are triggering these events or could it be something else? 

[John E Davies]

40 minutes ago, Steph and Dud B said:

Dim orange sun in CT today. Visibility only a few miles. Air smells like smoke. AQI 160. Never seen this in CT before. Crazy.

LOL, Lucky you, wait until it goes off scale. We have been at AQ 500 a few times in the last two years. Visibility very close to nil.

When we were camping in southern BC we literally had ash fall. Fortunately we had shore power, I kept the air breathable by running my inside HEPA filter and by using furnace filters in the windows. 

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

[Steph and Dud B]

Years ago, in the Black Hills, we witnessed the start of a fire in a farmer's field. The first fire engine was just arriving. An hour or two later, on our way back to the campground, the same fire was spreading fast into the hills. There was an air tanker working the fire. The next morning, ash was falling in our campground and we bugged out. For us in the Northeast, this is a slightly alarming anomaly. Can't imagine living where this has become commonplace.

[topgun2]

12 hours ago, connor77 said:

Does anyone know what is causing all these wildfires in recent years?  Is it only drought-like conditions that are triggering these events or could it be something else? 

Question #1 - kind of yes in that while the basics are known, it depends on the person that is doing the explaining of the basics to denote the importance of each part.

Question #2 - as with most things in life it is highly likely that "only drought-like conditions" is not the "only" cause.

Full explanations of the causes of wildfires are more than a Forum such as this can cover.  Certainly there are "root" factors that will tend to be most common for the majority of these fires - global warming (perhaps a debate in and of itself), drought, forest mis-management, water mis-management, arson, etc..  But, the interaction of these factors plus a bunch more can go on and on.  For more info - just Google it.

Bill

[Patriot]

If the smoke forecast gets so bad that should we would ever need to place filters in our windows, our traveling adventure is temporarily over.
We are likely headed back to Blueberry Hill and parking the Oliver until it clears and blows over. 

Just me.

Patriot🇺🇸

[John E Davies]

Is the current eastern wildfire smoke problem making you rethink this poll?

The air is nice here, but as soon as the winds shift, the Canadian smoke will come here, without a doubt. Sad times… 

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/06/26/americas/canada-wildfire-season-worst-2023/index.html

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Steve Morris]

Here in Northern Ohio it is quite smoky and there's a definite smell of something burning. Not a campfire smell, more sour. AQI was 291 yesterday morning.

We're still camping. We'll be mooch docking at my brother's over the holiday.

[Corvus]

The smoke from Mexico fires got heavy at times here in Florida. Now the wind directions that kept that smoke away brings the smoke from Canada. Due to respiratory issues we have stopped camping until things improve.

See the big picture here: https://fire.airnow.gov/ 

See air currents here: https://earth.nullschool.net/

[AZ Wonderer]

I live in southern AZ and the wildfires this year have hit too close to home.  Exactly 1 week ago today, I left work before lunch because of reports of 3 separate wildfires raging close to my home.  By the time I arrived to my house, the yard was on fire, the smoke was thick, and fire crews were all over the place.  My neighbors had already rescued my dogs, and I ran inside to rescue my bearded dragon before fleeing the area.  The fire meandered around all the homes in the neighborhood, came right up to my cinderblock fence, but by the grace of God and the amazing fire crews, no homes were lost.  This week, portions of Fort Huachuca, where I work, are ablaze.  In 2 weeks, I'll be making my way north with the Oliver through Nevada to the southern Oregon coast, hoping for both cooler weather and less chance of raging fires.