How to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke; interactive map shows smoke in your area

The big wildfires right now are in the West, but the smoke is drifting all the way to the Atlantic, so rural areas that usually don't have much air pollution are getting a big dose.

Wildfire smoke contains hazardous gases and particulate matter that can damage the lungs. The Washington Post has a great explainer on what's in wildfire smoke, who's more vulnerable to it, and what people can do to protect themselves, especially on poor-air-quality days. Read more here.

For information about how the air fares locally, see the interactive Fire and Smoke Map, created by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Forest Service.