Is being indoors really enough to save you from wildfire smoke?

Smoke from wildfires blankets the San Francisco skyline Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, this view from Sausalito, Calif. A wildfire that has been burning in Northern California's wine country since last week grew overnight as nearly 200,000 people remain under evacuation orders. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Monday that the fire in Sonoma County north of San Francisco now spans 103 square miles (267 square kilometers). That's up from 85 square miles (220 square kilometers) on Sunday. less Smoke from wildfires blankets the San Francisco skyline Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, this view from Sausalito, Calif. A wildfire that has been burning in Northern California's wine country since last week grew ... more Photo: Eric Risberg/AP Photo: Eric Risberg/AP Image 1 of / 133 Caption Close Is being indoors really enough to save you from wildfire smoke? 1 / 133 Back to Gallery

Your local bowling alley was packed all weekend and children are currently outnumbering springs at your local trampoline park. Bay Area parents are doing whatever they can to protect their kids from the potentially damaging effects of wildfire smoke, and for many that means trapping them inside an enclosed space where they won't be tempted to run and inhale. But is simply going indoors enough to protect your family from wildfire smoke?

Bay Area air quality was in the "red" unhealthy zone Monday in parts of the East Bay (Oakland reached a 158, more than three times worse than what's considered "good" air quality), and residents have been warned to stay inside. If you are vigilant about airflow, that may limit your exposure to potentially damaging particles to some degree.

"A lot of places like the movie theaters and the museums that are open are supposed to have the doors closed as much as possible," said Walter Wallace of the Bay Area Air Quality Management district, noting that such places are likely running an air filtration system. "This is much better than being outdoors."

Still, the doors on your local mall are opening all the time, and your home probably doesn't have the latest filtration system. Unless you've got a tightly-sealed clean room, you may not be seeing a huge benefit from being indoors.

"There is no safe area, period. It's just a little less," said Dr. Kari Nadeau. "The minute you have the windows open, it just gets dispersed. These conditions increase the likelihood of stroke and heart attack for people over 65."

Dr. Nadeau, director of the Sean Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, suggested that several consecutive days of air quality similar to what the Bay Area has seen this week can do as much damage as smoking a cigarette every day for a year, even if you are spending the bulk of your time indoors. Some of the potentially damaging particles are just too small to avoid.

While there have been studies of the effects of wildfire smoke, there is no research that will tell you how long your door can be open or how new your windows need to be to protect you from wildfire smoke.

"The answer is to stop the fires before they happen," said Dr. Nadeau.

Nadeau said better public planning on wildfire mitigation is the best way to really protect our lungs and air quality going forward.

More Kincade Fire coverage:

— Kincade Fire containment drops to 5% after brutal day on fire lines

— 102 mph gust recorded in Sonoma County: Sustained winds break hurricane force

— Tuesday wind event will trigger even more PG&E power shut-offs

— Maps: Kincade Fire burning in north Sonoma County

— Road closures, evacuation shelter locations near Kincade Fire

— What to do to keep wildfire smoke out of your house

— Full California wildfire coverage

Editor's note: This story originally ran on November 13, 2018 and has been updated with new information.