Schools Invest in Air Filtration As Wildfire Smoke Disrupts Children's Activities

In Montana, wildfire smoke is reshaping childhood as parents now check the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index before letting kids play outside, a shift from summers once defined by outdoor activities like biking, swimming, and hiking. A 2024 UNICEF report found smoke affects children's respiratory health, learning, mental well-being, and play opportunities. Melody Irvine, a University of Montana student who grew up with asthma in western Montana, recalled being stuck inside during smoky summers, noting such conditions are becoming expected.

Kerri Mueller, an air quality specialist with the Missoula City-County Health Department, said kids spend more time outdoors and breathe faster, increasing exposure. Wildfire smoke contains PM2.5 particles that can enter lungs and bloodstream, linked to asthma attacks and emergency visits, per studies in the Journal of Exposure Science Environmental Epidemiology. Pediatrician Lori Byron of Montana Health and Climate said children face greater risks because their lungs are developing and they breathe more air relative to body weight, with particles potentially reaching brains and unborn babies. Schools are investing in air filtration systems, and smoke events cancel soccer practices and move camps indoors.