Air quality alert issued; no immediate area fires burning, smoke coming from

The agency has issued an Air Quality Alert for all of Rhode Island except for Providence County.

A CODE ORANGE Air Quality Alert is in effect for the Louisville area until midnight Saturday night.

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 DEQ stated “strong westerly winds have brought in an enormous amount of smoke to southwest Montana (Saturday) morning due to a rapid increase in fire activity in Idaho and Montana (Friday) afternoon”.

Fires are burning in Glacier National Park and the Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Bitterroot, Helena, Kootenai and Flathead national forests and elsewhere.

According to DEM, the poor air quality will be due to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone.

Wildfires continue to pop up across the state, spreading ash and smoke across the region, but what does that mean for our air quality?

Cooler weather is moving into the state, which should help ease the fire threat.

“It’s breathable, but it’s not ideal”, Lovick said.

If you are sensitive to air pollution or have breathing or circulation problems, moderate air quality might affect you.