Wildfire Smoke and our Schools
What we know about wildfire smoke and health
The overall health effects of short-term exposure to wildfire smoke in otherwise healthy individuals are still being studied. However, there is growing concern about the potential for long-term health impacts for people who live in wildfire-prone areas like ours — where communities experience days to weeks of smoke exposure every year.
These repeated, long-term exposures may contribute to an increased lifetime risk for heart disease, lung disease, and cancer — even in people who consider themselves healthy.
Health risks can also be compounded when heat waves and wildfire smoke occur at the same time, which is increasingly common in our region.
What should be done to keep kids safe?
Children are more vulnerable to smoke because their lungs are still developing, they have higher respiratory rates, tend to spend more time outdoors, and breathe a higher volume of air for their body weight.
The Washington State Department of Health has provided recommendations for modifying activity levels or moving children indoors during unhealthy levels of smoke. This includes recommendations on duration and location of recess, P.E., and athletic events and practices.
What we’re doing about wildfire smoke at school
We want to be honest with you: our aging HVAC systems across the district were not designed to filter wildfire smoke or manage extreme heat. This is a challenge we have faced in previous years, and one we are actively working to address in the short term through mitigation, but also with a long-term bond proposal that would improve air quality at Wenatchee High School, all three middle schools, and four elementary schools with aging, inadequate systems.
Learn more about the Nov. 3 bond
How decisions get made
When indoor air quality reaches an AQI of 200 or above, the Chelan-Douglas Health District steps in to work with us in real time on decisions about whether school will need to be canceled or schedules modified.
We do not make these decisions alone — and we take the guidance of public health officials seriously.
Athletics
Our Athletic Director monitors outdoor AQI levels continuously and will make decisions about whether athletic practices and events need to be modified, postponed, or canceled based on current conditions. We recognize that on heavy smoke days, moving activities indoors is not always a viable alternative — indoor air quality may also be at unhealthy levels. We will communicate these decisions as early as possible so families can plan accordingly through FinalForms and/or ParentSquare.
Stay informed
We will communicate changes to schedules, events, or school operations through ParentSquare and FinalForms (athletics) as quickly as possible. Please make sure your contact information is current so you receive all notifications.
Our long-term commitment
We know that portable fans and filters are not a permanent solution. They are the best tools available to us right now and we will continue to deploy them wherever they are needed.
Wenatchee voters will consider a $275 million bond measure on November 3, 2026 that, if approved, would replace aging HVAC systems at seven schools across the district and rebuild most of Wenatchee High School with modern systems designed to filter wildfire smoke and manage extreme temperatures. Addressing indoor air quality is one of the two central priorities of this proposal.
In the meantime, we are committed to doing everything within our current resources to keep your students safe, healthy, and learning. Thank you for your patience and partnership as we navigate this challenge together.
How you can prepare your family for smoke
Have a supply of masks at home
Have a supply of masks at home — N95 or KN95 masks provide the best protection from wildfire smoke
Create a medical action plan
Talk with your child's doctor if they have asthma, allergies, or other respiratory or heart conditions — have an action plan ready
Make a plan for school closures or modifications
Talk with your student about what to do if school is delayed, modified, or canceled