The Jacksonville Zoo says it's pay close attention to the smoke coming from wildfires in northeast Florida, especially when it comes to their baby animals like the wood stork chicks.

The zoo has the largest breeding site in North America for the native birds and already more than a dozen chicks have hatched. Zoo officials say they're concerned the smoke could affect their breathing.

"Just like older and younger people tend to be more vulnerable to changing conditions, the same is with animals," said Dan Maloney, of the Jacksonville Zoo. "They don't have the capacity to deal with these problems."

The zoo said its 2,000 animals and 1,000 plants are OK right now, but if the smoke gets really bad, zookeepers can bring the animals indoors, which would be bad news for someone like Ralph Oles, who enjoys watching the animals.

He also understands the concern. Oles recently underwent a double lung transplant and can't travel without his mask in the smoky conditions.

"It makes it more difficult to breathe," Oles said. "There's a greater chance of adding foreign objects to our lungs, which we really don't need."

Doctors say smoky conditions can be risky for people who are outside, like Oles was. That also includes those with asthma and heart disease, as well as young children.

But Oles said people just need to be careful.

"This is the first chance to be out and enjoy life, and I want to," Oles said.