Air quality concerns linger in the Missoula area

Local health officials report that conditions are generally good to moderate for short term exposure, but air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups for cumulative exposure in Frenchtown and Seeley Lake.

Missoula County Air Quality Specialist Ben Schmitt those with heart or lung disease, smokers, children, and the elderly should avoid heavy or prolonged exertion and stay indoors when possible.

The state’s biggest fire has burned almost 21 square miles in Glacier.

Forest fire smoke that has wafted into the Butte area this morning has prompted an air quality alert from the county health department.

Weather forecasters said sunny skies, light winds and warm temperatures will combine to elevate ozone levels into the unhealthy-for-sensitive-groups range. The fires most likely to impact Missoula air quality in the near future are the fires in the Clearwater Complex in Idaho.

The air quality is worse in the lower valley, with smoke coming to Yakima from wildfires at the south end of the state.

Meantime, red flag warnings have been posted for much of northern Montana, including Great Falls, Helena, Glasgow, Havre and Glendive.

Lewistown, Malta, Billings and Birney all reported “healthy” air quality.