A sinus specialist is clearing up a misconception people may have about the dangers of wildfire smoke.

The wildfire situation in Newfoundland and Labrador has improved significantly over the last few weeks.

There are just five fires burning in the province right now. All of them are burning in western Labrador, and all are listed as being under control – the last step before being classified as out.

While there is no immediate threat to the province currently, a new fire could cause immediate air quality concerns, as could a shift in the wind that would bring smoke from other parts of the country into our neck of the woods.

Dr. Regan Bergmark, a sinus specialist at Mass General Brigham in Boston, refutes a claim that if people can’t smell the smoke then there are no safety concerns.

She says a lot of the things that make wildfire smoke dangerous are “invisible” to people, including fine particulates that can travel deep into the lungs.

When the air quality is bad, Bergmark says people with known heart and lung conditions, people who work or spend a lot of time outside, young children, older adults, and people who are pregnant need to be on “high alert.”