Recent studies from Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley have drawn comparisons between inhaling air pollution at certain AQI levels and smoking cigarettes. They mention although there are considerable differences in the specific chemicals found in wildfire smoke versus cigarette smoke, the comparison serves as a good analogy.

It's been approximated that someone who smokes a cigarette inhales about 22 micrograms of PM 2.5. PM 2.5 is what we use to measure the concentration of wildfire particulate matter in the atmosphere.

After further studies, 22 micrograms of PM 2.5 was then found to be equivalent to an AQI of 72 points after 24 hours of exposure. Using the calculator on the EPA's website, if you were to spend the next 24 hours outside in Central New York you'd expose yourself to air pollution as harmful as three cigarettes. And plugging in the current AQI of Ottawa, you'd be smoking a whopping 10.7 cigarettes!