DEQ contiinues statewide air quality advisory through Friday 10 am

BOISE — Continuing smoke impacts from wildfires have prompted the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to extend a statewide air quality advisory through Thursday. This advisory is in effect until 10 a.m. on Friday, September 8, at which time conditions will be evaluated again on a county-by-county basis. This advisory does not apply to lands within Indian reservation boundaries or to activities associated with fire suppression.

“Air quality remains in the Moderate to Very Unhealthy categories throughout most of the state. Expect statewide impacts to continue through Thursday. Friday offers a possibility of relief to the southern Idaho airsheds as the upper level winds shift to the southwest while high concentrations are expected to persist in north Idaho,” DEQ’s Air Quality Meterologist Jacob Wolf said.

Under this advisory, all open burning is prohibited, including campfires, recreational fires, weed control burning, and residential burning. Daily updates on air quality conditions at various locations in Idaho are available on DEQ's Air Quality Reports and Forecasts http://www.deq.idaho.gov/air-quality/monitoring/daily-reports-and-forecasts/ and Current Wildfire Smoke Information webpages. http://www.deq.idaho.gov/air-quality/burning/current-wildfire-smoke-info/

For areas where air quality monitors are not available, the Visibility Range and AQI Table http://www.deq.idaho.gov/media/864664-Visibility_Range.pdf can help determine the necessary precautions to take.

For information on the health effects of exposure to wildfire smoke, visit the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare's website. http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/Health/EnvironmentalHealth/WildfireSmoke/tabid/2172/Default.aspx