NM Health Official: Poor Air Quality Due To Wildfires

The Organ Mountains look white and fuzzy, and health officials say the haze is a strong indicator of just how poor air quality conditions are from wildfires burning in eastern and southern Arizona, as well as Mexico.

“It was just smokey, you could smell it,” a Las Cruces man told ABC-7.

Combined with the winds, residents all across New Mexico are suffering from similar allergy-like symptoms.

“Sore throats and their noses are really bothering them,” a woman said, of her three young children.

A light haze over Las Cruces is actually ash and dust, primarily from the Wallow Fire in Springerville, Arizona; and health officials say all residents are breathing it in.

“Chronic runny nose, tearing of the eyes and problems breathing,” Dr. Fay LaFon, who owns a general family practice, said. “You can even feel it on your skin.”

Dr. LaFon has been working around the clock treating patients for respiratory problems, she says, aggravated by the Wallow Fire.

“We don’t really know what the long-term effect will be,” LaFon said.

The New Mexico Department of Health uses an air quality monitor to check levels of dust, dirt and other irritants. Department officials said Monday conditions were poor in Dona Ana county, as was the case in several areas across the state.

“Just because you can’t see the fire, doesn’t mean that the fire isn’t going to have an effect on you,” Chris Minnick, with the New Mexico Department of Health, said. “There are larger particles out there. In some areas of the state it looks like it’s raining ash because there’s so much stuff coming off that fire.”

Minnick recommends using a high-efficiency particulate air or “HEPA” filter inside a refrigerated air conditioning unit.

“Swamp coolers will bring in that smoke into your house and you’re just gonna make the situation worse,” Minnick said.

But Dr. LaFon says there is no telling how long it may be before residents can breathe easier.

“No respiratory issues before, it could be simple and just clear up when the smoke clears,” Dr. LaFon said. “But if you are a person who has had chronic respiratory issues, it can be more irritating, more fluid in your lungs, more of a burden on your heart and just aggravate the whole control system for you.”

Health officials say the best thing to do is stay indoors as much as possible, drink plenty of water and keep windows and doors closed.