UVA Health doctor warns of smoky air effects, some still head to the trail
Fri, July 17, 2026 at 7:25 PM
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Smoky skies cover the Hill City. (Allison Mullet/WSET)
LYCNHBURG, Va. (WSET) —A smoky haze blanketed the Hill City on Friday, hiding the mountains and making it harder for some people to breathe as they exercised outdoors
Dr. Michael Nelson with UVA Health said people with chronic lung conditions are especially vulnerable when air quality is bad. He said symptoms from smoke exposure can include wheezing, a scratchy or irritated throat, coughing, and shortness of breath
“Nothing gets worse than a smoky day, but a smoky hot, hazy, humid day right in the middle of summer. It is tragic for some of our patients with chronic lung disease and chronic sinus disease. They’re getting hit by every direction,” Nelson said
For people with chronic lung conditions, Nelson recommends staying indoors as much as possible, avoiding outdoor exercise, taking prescribed medications, and wearing an N-95 mask if they need to be outside. Health experts also recommend using inhalers or medications as preventative measures
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Even with the distinct smell of smoke, some people still headed out to the trail to get exercise. The trail was quieter than normal, but those who went said they noticed the poor air quality
“We were going to take a picture, and then we were like, ‘ Why is it so hazy?'” one trail user said
“Definitely harder to breathe today,” another said
A third person described feeling the effects while running, “I get through the first mile. The second mile, I was thinking this is definitely strange; I feel like not a struggle to breathe, but it’s just a little difficult to process it all.”
“We walked out, and it was really smoky and yeah, the air smelled like smoke,” another trail user said
Despite the smoky conditions, people on the trail said it was still important to them to get outside, stay active and enjoy the trail, while health experts urged those with chronic lung conditions to take extra precautions and stay inside when possible
