Where there’s smoke, there’s a health hazard for homeowners

Woodburning is a major source of harmful pollution in many communities, yet there is critical lack of awareness about this serious environmental issue.

Published Jul 31, 2026  •  3 minute read

Due to air quality concerns for both his family and his neighbours, this author shipped his own outdoor wood burner off to the dump.

For the second time in three years, our air has been polluted for several days, making it hazardous to our health to venture outside.

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With even short-term exposure, fine particulate matter or dust particles from the smoke (known as PM 2.5) can trigger coughing and shortness of breath and worsen asthma. It’s also classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization. In other words, it belongs in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos.

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While the air is now clearing, you might still want to hold your breath because it’s also the time of the year with warmer temps when we sit outside at night and you guessed it – have a fire.

Thee fires, however, produce the same particulate matter as wildfires and are equally detrimental to health of anyone living in the path of the smoke. Yet, even with that knowledge in mind, in many part of the country we continue to burn backyard fires.

One starting point to reverse this inconvenient truth is education. Studies of how smoke affects our health are what ultimately led to the banning of cigarette ads, smoking on public patios and for those who can remember. airplanes.

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Now, ironically thanks to the massive wildfires we’ve been hit with, it’s common knowledge that smoke, not unlike smoking, is bad for us. Armed with that knowledge, there are some immediate, short-term steps you can take on the home front.

The most visible solution is to have N95 masks on hand – the same go-to masks used during COVID-19, to protect yourself when venturing outside when the air quality is poor.

And since air quality can be seriously compromised at the neighbourhood level due to backyard fires, fireplaces and wood burning stoves, there’s merit in investing in an air quality monitor from companies such as Atmotube (which makes a portable/keychain product) and IQAir (which also make a growing line of air filters for your home and even your car.)

Yet another comparatively inexpensive solution that we undertook years ago – if you have access to your furnace – is to use air filters capable of capturing fine particulates. Although they cost a bit more, the sweet spot is a MERV 13 air filter that can grab that PM 2.5 particulate without causing unnecessary strain on your furnace or AC motor.

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Apart from these short-term, defensive steps, sometimes yet another uncomfortable but necessary action is to advocate for your own rights.

Cities such as Montreal and Vancouver have greatly restricted or outright banned fires for the health benefits, and their efforts were supported by a mix of environmental groups, public health officials and taxpayers.

An invaluable source of information and supporting facts for any concerned citizen interested in getting local politicians on board with restricting or banning backyard fires is the Doctors and Scientists Against Wood Smoke Pollution.

As the international group’s website (www.dsawsp.org) declares on its landing page in bold letters “wood smoke is pollution,” and to quote “wood burning is a major source of harmful pollution in many communities, yet there is critical lack of awareness about this serious health and environmental issue.”

While going down the path of lobbying for stricter fire controls won’t lead to an overnight solution, in most communities, including where we live in Fort Erie, there are other, short-term options worth considering. This includes reporting owners that don’t follow existing regulations related to size of fires and how to extinguish them.

These are all steps worth taking so that with any luck, you can breath a sigh of relief.

Mark Douglas Wessel lives in Ridgeway, Ont., and is a passionate advocate for living more sustainably at home and in the greater community. Visit www.markdouglaswessel.com.

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