Air quality dips in Austin as wildfire smoke raises health concerns

AUSTIN, Texas — Recent wildfire smoke and wind gusts have worsened respiratory symptoms for some Austinites.

One local physician said more patients are coming into his office worried about air quality-related complications. 

A wildfire about 80 miles away in Gillespie County sent plumes of smoke into the area on Saturday afternoon. According to the U.S. Air Quality Index, March 15 marked the highest level of air pollutants in the past 30 days, with the air categorized as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

Dr. Subramaniyam Rajan, a pulmonologist at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, told KVUE the tiny particles from the fire can settle in your lungs, causing serious health issues.

“We’ve learned a lot from a lot of the wildfires that we see in the West Coast. That wildfire smoke is not localized to the area where the fire is,” Dr. Rajan said. “The smoke can spread. The wind can take it across states and create a lot of potential health complications for people.”

People with underlying conditions like asthma, lung disease or heart disease are most at risk, but Dr. Rajan warned that poor air quality can affect anyone. 

“You want to watch out for things like shortness of breath, wheezing,” he said. “A lot of people with these underlying conditions will know when their symptoms are not under good control.”

To stay safe during wildfire smoke events, Dr. Rajan recommended staying indoors, avoiding strenuous outdoor activities and ensuring air filters in homes and vehicles are up to date.