{"id":260,"date":"2026-09-15T17:30:40","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T00:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orovilleanimalhealthcenter.com\/blog\/?p=260"},"modified":"2026-09-15T17:30:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T00:30:41","slug":"how-wildfire-smoke-can-affect-pets-long-after-fire-season-ends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orovilleanimalhealthcenter.com\/blog\/how-wildfire-smoke-can-affect-pets-long-after-fire-season-ends\/","title":{"rendered":"How Wildfire Smoke Can Affect Pets Long After Fire Season Ends"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Few experiences are more stressful than living through fire season in Northern California. With recent years\u2019 tragedies still fresh on many of our minds, it\u2019s always a relief when the peak fire season finally starts easing up in the fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, any exposure to wildfire smoke can negatively affect our pets, even long after fire season has released its grip for the fall and winter. Smoke and poor air quality can linger\u2014or even come back\u2014for days to weeks after nearby fires, depending on weather conditions. This means air quality can affect pets until a good rain and wind clears everything up again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what the team at Oroville Animal Health Center<\/a> wants pet parents to know about pet respiratory health after fire season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Wildfire Smoke and Your Pet\u2019s Respiratory Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the important thing to keep in mind about wildfire smoke: it can affect your pet at the time of exposure, with long-term consequences for her health. Wildfire smoke irritates the respiratory system, damaging the delicate tissues in the airways and the lungs, making it harder for pets to breathe comfortably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of this, it\u2019s important to stay inside anytime the air quality in Oroville and the surrounding area gets into the orange or red levels (Air Quality Index, or AQI, from 101 to 200+). Some exposure may be inevitable as you take your pup out to go potty, for example, but the less exposure, the better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, keep an eye on air quality even after the smoke appears to have cleared. Smoke can linger in the air for weeks after a fire ends. Avoid any strenuous activity outside<\/a> with your dog or cat when the AQI is in the orange, red, purple, or maroon area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of Respiratory Harm from Wildfire Smoke Exposure in Pets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re unsure whether your pet has lasting harm from exposure to wildfire smoke here in Northern California, keep an eye out for the following symptoms of smoke exposure in cats and dogs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n