To avoid breathing wildfire smoke, it's important to have the right gear. Dust masks, bandanas and damp pieces of cloth won't adequately protect you from inhaling fine particulate matter like PM2.5.

Many people choose to wear an N95 mask as a way to reduce exposure to harmful viruses and airborne toxins or pollutants.

The type of mask matters if you don’t want to inhale harmful pollutants. This is a Kaiser Health News story. Toby Lewsadder stepped outside an Ace Hardware store wearing a simple one-strap dust mask.

Are P95 or N95 masks best? Construction and factory workers were using masks long before the coronavirus overwhelmed society. Now masks are a part of everyday wear — it’s second nature to stuff one in ...