Wildfire smoke is no longer a regional problem — it's a national reality. From the West Coast to the Midwest to the Eastern Seaboard, more Americans are checking the AQI before heading outside than ever before. And when those numbers climb into the orange, red, or purple zones, a regular cloth mask just won't cut it.
If you've ever stood in the respirator aisle at a hardware store and felt overwhelmed, you're not alone. Half-face, full-face, cartridge types, P100 vs. organic vapor, fit testing — there's a lot to digest, and getting it wrong means risking your health every time you tackle a project.
