Staying Safe in Extreme Heat and Wildfire Smoke

BOISE, ID (CBS2) — Across Idaho, several weeks of triple-digit temperatures, paired with now constant wildfire smoke has made conditions outdoors difficult to endure.

High heat conditions and wildfire smoke dehydrate you, while also posing great health risks if not monitored.

"We all need to be drinking more water, we don't drink enough, and we shouldn't be measuring how hydrated we are off of sweat, you should focus on your urine timing and coloration," Dr. Aaron Campbell, and physician with Saint Alphonsus in Boise said. "Staying hydrated is the most important thing, but sunscreen is a close second."

Hydration isn't just about liquid intake, Campbell said, but about nutrition as a whole.

"You want to be mostly drinking water, not sports drinks. Though sports drinks have electrolytes, unless you're working out, the sugar can actually work against you," Campbell said. "Also, nutrition, most people forget, but you can also get electrolytes from food, and keeping a strong diet helps a lot."

Dr. Campbell suggested that anyone with respiratory issues limit outdoor time, as wildfire smoke is likely to be present for weeks in the Treasure Valley.

Individuals with asthma, COPD, and other respiratory issues are particularly at risk as well as those prone to allergies.

Around noon today, clouds blanketed Boise for the first time in weeks, bringing a stiff and cool breeze with a few raindrops in what was a short respite to what has otherwise been a sweltering Summer, but not everyone felt relief.

"I'm breathing the forests I grew up in," Natalie Fleming, a Boise resident originally from Eastern Oregon said. "Fires are burning in Oregon, and all that smoke is coming over the mountains and our way. When I see clouds like this, that's all I think about."