Wildfires burn wood and unfortunately building materials, furnishings, all sorts of things -- which produces a mixture of many harmful particles, chemicals, gases, formaldehyde, and VOCs. It’s like a potpourri of pollution. The worst kind. 

People suffering from chronic conditions such as asthma, COPD, and even allergies are at an increased risk for increased symptoms. Studies have also shown wildfire smoke may raise the risk of Covid-19.

Wildfire smoke can travel hundreds or thousands of miles. In fact, in 2021 the intense fires in Oregon produced smoke that spread to Indiana (The Indiana Department of Environmental Management actually advised residents to stay indoors for a time.) The Oregon smoke even reached the East Coast, as far as New York City. 

Because wildfire smoke contains a mixture of large and fine particle pollution as well as chemicals, gases, formaldehyde, and VOCs, an air purifier must have filter media designed to handle each of these types of pollutants. The filter must contain true, medical-grade HEPA (not HEPA-like material) to capture fine particles. And it must have activated carbon to capture chemicals, gases, formaldehyde, and VOCs.

The Austin Air HealthMate Plus™ uses more than 780 cubic inches of activated carbon, potassium iodide-impregnated carbon, and zeolite to remove the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, benzenes, chemicals, gases, and odors found in wildfire smoke. It also uses 60 sq. ft. of true medical-grade HEPA to remove 99% of all particles larger than 0.1 microns. No one else in the industry uses that much.

Austin Air Systems has shipped hundreds of thousands of air purifiers to areas affected by wildfire smoke. Austin Air is also recommended and sold by doctors in wildfire areas.

As an approved air cleaning company, FEMA and the American Red Cross chose to partner with Austin Air Systems to help provide clean air to the residents of New York City and surrounding areas following the devastation of 9/11. Austin Air was also a first responder following Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and the 2015 SoCal gas leak in California.

Austin Air outperformed more than 100 other air purifiers in government tests. Additionally, Austin Air is the only air cleaner company to partner with research organizations to conduct clinical trials on our products. We’ve worked with organizations such as Johns Hopkins University, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, the University of Washington, and Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering.