Doctor weighs in on outdoor exercise amid wildfire smoke

Doctor weighs in on outdoor exercise amid wildfire smoke
Updated: 11:32 PM EDT Jul 15, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
Doctor weighs in on outdoor exercise amid wildfire smoke
Updated: 11:32 PM EDT Jul 15, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
A yellow haze blanketed the skies in parts of the Granite State Wednesday. The New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services issued an Orange Alert for Thursday, meaning the air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups.Dr. Shweta Gupta, a pulmonologist and critical care medicine physician at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, said sensitive groups include children, older adults, anyone with underlying conditions like asthma, and people exerting themselves outside.”When the air quality is unhealthy during these wildfires, generally the ambient particulate matter and toxic gases, there amount in the atmosphere is very high,” Dr. Gupta said.”If you’re doing physical activity outside and you’re exposed to those high levels of pollution from the wildfires, you may notice that it’s harder to do the normal exercise that you would be able to do if the environment was absolutely fine,” she added.Shortness of breath, dehydration, muscle fatigue and exhaustion are all symptoms you could experience if you’re exercising outdoors.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go <<News 9 spoke to Lindsey Schumacher, a three-sport athlete in Concord who also has Asthma. She said she takes extra precautions when the air quality turns poor.”Typically, I don’t take my inhaler unless I’m out here doing active stuff or like I’m really exhausted. So, I’ll probably wake up and take it before I go exercise instead of taking it during,” Schumacher said.McCullough Laliberte and Courtney Jacques looked at the air quality Wednesday before making their running plans.”We debated it this morning but came out at 3pm to see if it was still smoggy, and it wasn’t in Manchester. So, we decided to run,” Jacques said.McCullough and Courtney both added they’d switch their exercise routines to indoors on Thursday.But Dr. Gupta said the best piece of advice: don’t exercise outside at all.”We don’t recommend doing physical activity unless absolutely necessary,” said Dr. Gupta.”So, if somebody is really planning to exercise, we would recommend them exercising indoors as much as possible,” she said.Dr. Gupta recommends wearing a mask like an N-95 if you absolutely have to be outside. She also recommends only spending short periods of time outside early in the morning and making sure you stay hydrated.
CONCORD, N.H. —

A yellow haze blanketed the skies in parts of the Granite State Wednesday. The New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services issued an Orange Alert for Thursday, meaning the air quality is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups

Dr. Shweta Gupta, a pulmonologist and critical care medicine physician at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, said sensitive groups include children, older adults, anyone with underlying conditions like asthma, and people exerting themselves outside

“When the air quality is unhealthy during these wildfires, generally the ambient particulate matter and toxic gases, there amount in the atmosphere is very high,” Dr. Gupta said

“If you’re doing physical activity outside and you’re exposed to those high levels of pollution from the wildfires, you may notice that it’s harder to do the normal exercise that you would be able to do if the environment was absolutely fine,” she added

Shortness of breath, dehydration, muscle fatigue and exhaustion are all symptoms you could experience if you’re exercising outdoors

>>Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go<<

News 9 spoke to Lindsey Schumacher, a three-sport athlete in Concord who also has Asthma. She said she takes extra precautions when the air quality turns poor

“Typically, I don’t take my inhaler unless I’m out here doing active stuff or like I’m really exhausted. So, I’ll probably wake up and take it before I go exercise instead of taking it during,” Schumacher said

McCullough Laliberte and Courtney Jacques looked at the air quality Wednesday before making their running plans

“We debated it this morning but came out at 3pm to see if it was still smoggy, and it wasn’t in Manchester. So, we decided to run,” Jacques said

McCullough and Courtney both added they’d switch their exercise routines to indoors on Thursday

But Dr. Gupta said the best piece of advice: don’t exercise outside at all

“We don’t recommend doing physical activity unless absolutely necessary,” said Dr. Gupta

“So, if somebody is really planning to exercise, we would recommend them exercising indoors as much as possible,” she said

Dr. Gupta recommends wearing a mask like an N-95 if you absolutely have to be outside

She also recommends only spending short periods of time outside early in the morning and making sure you stay hydrated

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