The summer of 2026 has delivered another powerful reminder that you do not have to live next to a wildfire to be affected by one. Wildfires burning across Canada and the Pacific Northwest have produced enormous smoke plumes capable of traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles, exposing people and pets far from the flames to unhealthy air.
As of August 18, the Government of Canada reported 4,793 wildfires and approximately 4.1 million hectares burned during the 2026 season. At that time, 582 fires remained active across Canada.
Canadian and Pacific Northwest Wildfire Smoke in 2026: Protecting People and Dogs From Unhealthy Air
Satellite observations from NOAA have also documented smoke from wildfires in southern British Columbia combining with smoke from fires in the Pacific Northwest and spreading across large portions of Canada and the United States.
For dog owners, there is an important lesson in these smoke events: your family does not need to be threatened by flames to experience the health effects of a wildfire.
You may never see the fire. But you and your dog can still breathe the smoke.
Why Is Wildfire Smoke Dangerous?
One of the greatest health concerns in wildfire smoke is PM2.5, fine particulate matter measuring 2.5 micrometers or smaller. These microscopic particles can travel deep into the respiratory system.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identifies particulate matter as one of the principal public health threats associated with wildfire smoke. Exposure can irritate the eyes and respiratory system and can be especially concerning for people with existing heart or lung conditions.
Common symptoms people experience during significant smoke events can include burning eyes, coughing, sore throat, headaches, wheezing and difficulty breathing. People with asthma, COPD, cardiovascular disease and other health conditions can face greater risks.
But people are not the only ones breathing this air.
Our dogs are breathing it too.
What Do Hospitals Experience When Wildfire Smoke Arrives?
Hospital emergency departments provide an important window into what can happen when wildfire smoke settles over populated areas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studied emergency department visits during major Canadian wildfire smoke episodes in 2023. Researchers found that asthma associated emergency department visits were 17% higher than expected during 19 wildfire smoke days.
The study provides an important comparison for understanding smoke events today. When PM2.5 concentrations rise across a community, people with asthma and other respiratory vulnerabilities may experience symptoms serious enough to require emergency medical care.
This is one reason public health officials encourage people to reduce their exposure before respiratory problems become severe.
The same common sense principle should influence how we care for our pets.
What Do Veterinarians See When Dogs Breathe Wildfire Smoke?
Veterinary medicine does not currently have the same nationwide emergency department surveillance system for dogs that the CDC uses to study human emergency departments. That means we should be cautious about claiming a specific percentage increase in veterinary ER visits during the 2026 wildfire season.
However, veterinarians know that wildfire smoke and poor air quality can affect dogs.
The EPA warns pet owners that wildfire smoke can irritate a pet's eyes and respiratory tract. Warning signs can include excessive coughing or gagging, difficulty breathing, rapid or noisy breathing, red or watery eyes, nasal discharge, excessive panting, fatigue, weakness, disorientation and reduced appetite or thirst.
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine similarly advises that poor air quality primarily creates risks involving a dog's heart and lungs.
Veterinary clinics and emergency hospitals may therefore encounter dogs during significant smoke events whose owners are concerned about coughing, unusual breathing, eye irritation, lethargy or respiratory distress.
If your dog is struggling to breathe, becomes extremely lethargic, collapses or displays other serious respiratory symptoms, contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital immediately.
Which Dogs Are Most Vulnerable to Wildfire Smoke?
Some dogs may require additional precautions during poor air quality events.
According to EPA and Cornell veterinary guidance, dogs with existing heart or respiratory conditions may be more vulnerable. Puppies and senior dogs may also face increased risk.
Short nosed breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs and Boston Terriers deserve particular attention because breathing can already be more challenging for these dogs, especially when smoke and summer heat occur at the same time.
This is also why dog owners need to remember an important difference between people and pets.
Your dog cannot make decisions about air quality.
Your dog does not check the AQI before asking for a walk. Your dog does not understand that the hazy sky means today's three mile run should become a quick bathroom break.
Your dog depends on you to make those decisions.
Know the AQI Before You Grab the Leash
One of the easiest ways to become proactive about wildfire smoke is to monitor the AirNow Air Quality Index.
During wildfire season, checking the AQI should become almost as routine as checking the weather.
A sunny afternoon does not necessarily mean healthy air. Smoke can travel tremendous distances, and fine particulate pollution can affect your community even when the nearest wildfire is hundreds of miles away.
If air quality begins deteriorating, change your dog's routine before symptoms appear.
The First Line of Defense Is Cleaner Indoor Air
The best way to protect a dog from wildfire smoke is to reduce exposure whenever possible.
The EPA recommends keeping pets indoors as much as possible when smoke and heat are present, keeping doors and windows closed when it can be done safely, maintaining clean indoor air and limiting outdoor physical activity.
Consider using a portable HEPA air cleaner and an effective HVAC filter that is compatible with your home's system. Creating a cleaner air room where people and pets can spend time during severe smoke events can also help reduce exposure.
Outdoor bathroom breaks should be kept short when smoke levels are high. Long walks, running, hiking and strenuous exercise should wait until conditions improve.
Fresh water should also remain available, particularly when wildfire smoke is combined with summer heat.
Prepare Your Dog Before the Next Smoke Emergency
Every wildfire season produces a familiar pattern.
A major fire erupts. Winds shift. Smoke begins moving toward populated areas. The AQI deteriorates. Suddenly thousands of families start searching for air purifiers, replacement HVAC filters, N95 masks and respiratory protection for their pets.
That is exactly the wrong time to begin preparing.
We recently discussed this problem in our K9 Mask® article, Prepare for Wildfire Smoke Before You Need Overnight Shipping.
Preparing early gives you time to gather supplies, create an emergency plan and become familiar with protective equipment before the smoke arrives.
Build a Wildfire Emergency Kit for Your Dog
Wildfire preparedness should include more than respiratory protection.
Your dog's emergency supplies can include several days of food and water, prescription medications, vaccination records, veterinarian contact information, leash and harness, portable bowls, waste bags, identification information and other essential supplies.
For more ideas, read our K9 Mask® guide to wildfire preparedness and dog respiratory health, including resources for creating a dog emergency and bug out kit.
Families should also know where they could evacuate with their pets. The EPA recommends including pets in evacuation planning because not every emergency shelter or temporary accommodation accepts animals.
Where Does K9 Mask® Fit Into a Wildfire Smoke Plan?
The first strategy for protecting your dog during dangerous wildfire smoke should always be reducing exposure.
Keep your dog in cleaner indoor air whenever possible. Limit outdoor exercise. Monitor the AQI. Follow local emergency guidance. Seek veterinary care when concerning respiratory symptoms develop.
But dogs still have to go outside.
Some families may also need to travel, evacuate or move through smoky environments where exposure cannot be completely avoided.
The K9 Mask® air filter face mask for dogs was designed as an additional respiratory protection option for dogs during poor air quality conditions.
For wildfire smoke and severe air pollution, K9 Mask® offers Extreme Breathe® filtration options designed to help reduce exposure to fine airborne particulate matter, smoke, ash and other airborne contaminants.
K9 Mask® uses replaceable air filters so owners can keep additional filtration available as part of their dog's emergency preparedness supplies.
Why Filtration Quality Matters
Not every claim about air filtration should be accepted simply because it appears on a product package.
K9 Mask® has invested in independent laboratory testing to provide dog owners with measurable information about filtration performance.
You can learn more about the testing in our article ISO Tested Filtration Makes K9 Mask® a Trusted Choice for Protecting Dogs and review other K9 Mask® respiratory health resources in the K9 Mask® Blog.
A respiratory mask should never replace the more important steps of getting away from dangerous smoke, keeping your dog in filtered indoor air or seeking veterinary care when respiratory symptoms develop. Instead, respiratory protection should be considered one component of a larger wildfire preparedness strategy.
Proper Fit and Supervision Are Important
Emergency equipment is much easier to use when you understand how it works before the emergency begins.
Dog owners should properly size their K9 Mask® and allow their dog to become familiar with wearing it before poor air quality arrives.
Our guide, How to Properly Fit an Air Filter Mask on Your Dog, explains how owners can prepare their dog for using a mask.
Always monitor your dog's breathing, comfort, activity level and temperature when using any covering over the muzzle. Dogs depend heavily on panting to regulate body temperature, making responsible supervision especially important during warm weather and physical activity.
Preparation Is Better Than Overnight Shipping
Every wildfire season, dog owners contact K9 Mask® after smoke has already reached their community and ask how quickly a mask can arrive.
We understand the urgency. But there is a better strategy.
Prepare before the smoke arrives.
Buying emergency equipment ahead of time gives you the opportunity to properly size your dog's mask, practice using it, purchase replacement filters and add everything to your existing emergency supplies.
It can also help you avoid expensive overnight shipping during an emergency when thousands of other families may be trying to purchase the same kinds of supplies.
Summer 2026 Is Another Warning to Prepare
The Canadian and Pacific Northwest wildfires of 2026 remind us that wildfire preparedness is no longer only about protecting homes located near forests.
Smoke does not respect state borders or national borders.
A wildfire burning hundreds or even thousands of miles away can potentially affect the air your family breathes.
You cannot control where the next wildfire starts.
You cannot control which direction the wind blows.
But you can monitor air quality. You can create cleaner indoor air. You can reduce outdoor activity. You can prepare an emergency kit. You can talk with your veterinarian about your dog's individual health risks. And you can have respiratory protection available before an emergency begins.
We install smoke detectors before there is a fire. We keep first aid supplies before someone gets injured. We purchase insurance before disaster strikes.
Wildfire smoke preparedness should work the same way.
Your Dog Cannot Choose Cleaner Air. You Can.
Prepare Your Dog for the Next Air Quality Emergency
Explore K9 Mask® air filter masks for dogs, learn about Extreme Breathe® filtration for wildfire smoke, and visit the K9 Mask® Blog for more information about wildfire smoke, air pollution and dog respiratory health.
This article is provided for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for veterinary or medical advice. If your dog develops difficulty breathing or other significant symptoms during a wildfire smoke event, contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital.
