Can Aromatherapy Help during Wildfire Season? 5 Surprising Ways It Can!

By Caryn Gehlmann, Clinical Aromatherapist

2025 Applegate Wildfire – Southern Oregon

Smoke, poor air quality, and the uncertainties of wildfire season are becoming an all-too-common problem. My friends and I have experienced some fearful moments during wildfires here in Southern Oregon. And even when a wildfire is in another part of the country, its smoke can make life uncomfortable. Days of smoke-filled skies cause us to feel anxious, distracted, emotionally drained, or unsettled. We can’t control what happens outside; however, we can choose how we care for ourselves as we move through it.

People ask me: Can aromatherapy help during wildfire season? The answer is yes… but perhaps not in the way you might expect.

Essential oils can’t remove smoke particles from the air, improve air quality, or replace emergency preparedness or medical care. So don’t be taken in by unsubstantiated claims from disreputable websites or publications. What aromatherapy can do is help create moments of calm, support emotional well-being, and provide comforting aromas and simple rituals during an otherwise stressful season.

Safety First

Before reaching for essential oils, take care of the basics, like following the guidance from your local emergency management officials, monitoring the air quality in your area, and following recommendations from trusted public health organizations.*(Trusted resources below.)

Once those needs are addressed, aromatherapy can become one small but meaningful way to care for yourself and the people you love throughout wildfire season.

Five Ways Aromatherapy Can Help During Wildfire Season

It’s easy to pick up a bottle of essential oil at a grocery store, but that may not be the safe option. Please, make sure the essential oils you plan to use during wildfire season are certified, pure essential oils. When your respiratory system is already taxed, you don’t want to breathe in more chemicals. Once you make sure you’re using pure oils, check out these five ways aromatherapy can help during wildfire season:

1. Create a Calm, Comforting Space Indoors

When outdoor air quality is poor, we spend more time indoors. If you’re using an air purifier or have created a clean-air room in your home, consider lightly diffusing gentle essential oils such as Lavender, Cedarwood, Chamomile Roman, Frankincense, or e3’s Be Calm or Breathe Easy. (Note: resinous oils can leave a gummy residue in your diffuser.) Their aromas help create a peaceful atmosphere and encourage relaxation.

If you don’t want to use a diffuser, you can keep a personal inhaler close by so you can enjoy a few deep breaths of your favorite aroma. (One of e3’s staff has been using Protection Blend to create moments of relief.) She says it really helps!

Caryn’s Tip: Less is often more. A small amount of essential oil can create a comforting environment without overwhelming the space.

2. Support Respiratory Comfort

Certain essential oils have long been valued in aromatherapy for supporting respiratory comfort.  The cooling aromas of Eucalyptus Radiata, Ravintsara, and Peppermint can help ease breathing.

Caryn’s Tip: Try making a simple chest balm by blending shea butter or coconut oil with a few drops of Eucalyptus Radiata and Lavender. Massaging it onto your chest before resting can become a soothing evening ritual.

3. Calm Your Nervous System

Wildfire season is also stressful to our nervous system because of constant news updates that make us feel tense and emotionally exhausted.

Caryn’s Tip: Slow down the stress response through a simple breathing practice paired with a grounding aroma. Place a drop of Frankincense, Vetiver, Cedarwood, or one of our calming blends, Relax, Rebalance, or Stress Relief, on a tissue or personal inhaler and take a few slow breaths.

• Inhale for a count of four.
• Pause briefly.
• Exhale slowly for a count of six.

Even two or three minutes of intentional breathing can help create a sense of calm and gently bring your attention back to the present moment.

4. Keep One Comforting Routine

One of the hardest things about wildfire season is how quickly it can interrupt our normal routines. Even when life feels uncertain, maintaining one familiar ritual each day can provide a reassuring sense of normalcy.

That might be enjoying your morning tea, taking a quiet walk when air quality allows, journaling, reading, or spending a few minutes with your favorite essential oil blend. These familiar routines remind us that even when life feels uncertain, some things can remain steady.

Caryn’s Tip: Keep a small roller bottle of your favorite calming blend nearby. Applying a familiar aroma throughout the day can become a gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and reset.

5. Make Space for Difficult Emotions

Wildfire season often brings intense emotions like fear, disappointment, grief, uncertainty, and concern for loved ones and the places we cherish.

Caryn’s Tip: When emotions feel especially heavy, I often reach for oils that offer a sense of comfort and emotional support.

• Bergamot when sadness feels overwhelming.
• Geranium for emotional balance and reassurance.
• Ho Wood for its soft, calming aroma during times of stress.
• e3 Pick Me Up or Revitalize for a gentle uplifting aroma

Place a drop on a cotton ball/pad or personal inhaler, and enjoy it throughout the day and as part of your evening routine before bed. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give ourselves is permission to feel what we’re feeling.

We Care About You

Wildfire season asks a great deal of us physically, emotionally, and mentally. While aromatherapy can’t change the conditions outside, it can offer moments of relief. Whether it’s taking a slow breath with a favorite aroma, creating a peaceful corner of your home, or simply pausing for a few quiet moments each day, these small acts of care can help during challenging seasons.

I hope these ideas encourage you to care for yourself with the same kindness and patience you would offer someone you love. Stay safe, take good care of yourself, and know that we’re thinking of you during wildfire season.

*Helpful Resources

For current wildfire conditions and public health recommendations, we encourage you to visit these trusted resources:

AirNow – Check current air quality in your area: https://www.airnow.gov/
American Red Cross – Wildfire safety and preparedness: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/wildfire.html
Ready.gov – Wildfire preparedness and evacuation planning: https://www.ready.gov/wildfires
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Protecting yourself from wildfire smoke: https://www.cdc.gov/wildfires/