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Is it safe to exercise outside in wildfire smoke?

Dr. Colin Little

Dr. Colin Little

MD, FAWM, Chief Medical Officer, GOES Health

The short answer

You can exercise outside in light smoke, but scale back as it thickens. For a healthy adult, ease off long or hard efforts once the air quality (AQI) is above 150, move workouts indoors above 200, and stop outdoor activity above 300. People with asthma or heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should cut back a band earlier, above 100.

In light smoke, a workout outside is fine. The smokier the air and the harder you go, though, the more you should hold back. The harder and longer you exert yourself, the more smoke particles you pull deep into your lungs.1

Let the AQI set the limit. For a healthy adult, once it reaches the Unhealthy range of 151 to 200, cut back long or hard efforts and take more breaks.23 By Very Unhealthy, 201 to 300, avoid those efforts and move your workout indoors.23 At 301 and above, skip outdoor activity altogether.23

If you have heart or lung disease, or you're older or a child, ease off earlier, from 101.13 Poor air reaches those groups sooner than it does a healthy adult.

Whatever the number, let your body have the last word. Smoky air can bring on coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath.4 Any of those means ease off and get to cleaner air, and if they don't settle, head inside for good that day.

Sources

  1. [1] Patient Exposure and the Air Quality Index. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/pmcourse/patient-exposure-and-air-quality-index
  2. [2] Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://www.airnow.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/air-quality-guide-for-particle-pollution_0.pdf
  3. [3] U.S. EPA (AirNow). Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics. Accessed August 6, 2026. https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/
  4. [4] Health Effects of Ozone in the General Population. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution-and-your-patients-health/health-effects-ozone-general-population

About the author

Dr. Colin Little

Dr. Colin Little

MD, FAWM, Chief Medical Officer, GOES Health

  • Board Certified Emergency Physician
  • Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM)
  • Wilderness Medicine Fellowship, University of Utah
  • Emergency Medicine Residency and Chief Resident, Stanford / Kaiser
  • Doctor of Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
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