Wildfire alert for bicycle routes in Montana; health precautions

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There's nothing like inhaling the mountain fresh air on a bicycle trip, unless you're caught downwind from a smoky wildfire.

With 40 fires larger than 500 acres burning in Montana, Idaho and Washington, Adventure Cycling Association is alerting touring bicyclists about road closures on some of its routes.

There are also health threats due to wildfire smoke, and the Montana health department has posted some information about that.

Routes closed

Adventure Cycling's Great Parks North Route and Great Divide Mountain Bike Route are both affected by the 19,000 acre Jocko Lakes Fire west of Seely Lake, Montana. The bicycle touring group posted updates on a special fire advisory web page:

Regarding the Great Parks North route:

SR 83 is closed between Condon (map 23) and the intersection of SR 83 and SR 200 (map 24). … To avoid this fire, if heading south to Missoula, from Bigfork (map 21) you will need to go south on SR 35. In Polson, go south on US 93 to Missoula. Reverse these directions if heading north.

Regarding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route:

SR 83 is closed between Condon (map A) and the intersection of SR 83 and SR 200 (map B). Technically our route is not closed, but we highly recommend that cyclists not ride through this area due to threatening fire movement and heavy smoke. … To avoid this fire, if heading south, from Bigfork you will need to go south on SR 35. In Polson, go south on US 93 to Missoula. From Missoula, go northeast on SR 200 to rejoin the route west of Ovando on map B. Reverse these directions if heading north.


In either case, Adventure Cycling recommends checking the National Interagency Fire Center for updates. Another place to check is InciWeb, although service from that website has been spotty due to heavy volume.

Health impacts

The Montana health department is warning that the young, elderly and those with lung conditions should avoid wildfire smoke. Dr. Steven Helgerson, state medical officer, said:

“Smoky air contains higher levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. This is important because it can impact exercise tolerance. People should be careful not to exert themselves too much when the air quality is poor.”

Helgerson said that people bring more pollution deeper into their lungs during exercise. They also tend to breathe through their mouths, bypassing the natural filtering ability of the nasal passages.

Recommendations

The American Lung Association naturally says to avoid smoky air. If that's not possible:

  • People living in close proximity to the fire-stricken areas should remain indoors and avoid inhalation of smoke, ashes, and particulate matter in the area. Ordinary dust masks, designed to filter out large particles, will not help as they still allow the more dangerous smaller particles to pass through. Special, more expensive dust masks with true HEPA filters will filter out the damaging fine particles but are difficult for people with lung disease to use.
  • If outdoor trips in smoky areas are necessary, breathe through a damp cloth to help filter out particles in the air.

    • Dr. Zab Mosenifar, director of pulmonary and critical care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, is among those who say to avoid strenuous activity outdoors. That can be difficult if you're already on a bicycle trip. He recommends:

  • Wearing a mask to help filter out particles that you would otherwise breath into your respiratory passages and lungs;
  • Being vigilant about using your medications for asthma, COPD and allergic rhinitis.

    • Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/08/11/wildfire-alert-for-bicycle-routes-in-montana-health-precautions/

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