Air Purifiers for Wildfire Smoke: How to Choose and Use One

Portable air purifiers, also called portable air cleaners, can help reduce airborne wildfire smoke particles indoors. Choosing a unit sized for your room and using it according to the manufacturer’s instructions are important steps. Here’s what to know about HEPA filtration, smoke clean air delivery rate (CADR), and the limits of air cleaning.

Do air purifiers help with wildfire smoke?

Portable air cleaners recirculate room air through filters rather than bringing in fresh outdoor air. They can help reduce airborne smoke particles, but air cleaning is only one part of reducing indoor smoke exposure. It is not a guarantee of safe air or a substitute for local emergency guidance.

What HEPA filters can and cannot remove

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters capture fine particles. However, they do not remove every gas in wildfire smoke. Keep this distinction in mind when comparing air purifiers for wildfire smoke: particle filtration does not address every component of smoke.  Look for air purifiers with a carbon component in their filters.

How to choose an air purifier for wildfire smoke

• Check the recommended room size. Choose a unit sized for the room where you plan to use it.
• Look for a smoke filter. Check the unit’s smoke clean air delivery rate, when available, alongside its recommended room size.
• Review operating and filter-replacement instructions. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance for the unit you choose.

How to use a portable air cleaner

Keep airflow unobstructed and operate the air cleaner according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Follow the recommended filter-replacement guidance to maintain the unit as directed.

Avoid ozone generators

Do not choose an ozone generator for an occupied space. Electronic air-cleaning features that produce ozone are not recommended for occupied spaces.

Follow official wildfire-smoke guidance

Use air cleaning as part of your approach to reducing indoor smoke, and follow local emergency guidance. For more information, read the EPA’s guidance on wildfires and indoor air quality.

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