Smoky air worries health officials

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For a complete chart explaining various air quality indexes, see http://www.havredailynews.com.

The thick haze of smoke that has covered the Hi-Line is creating dangerous conditions for some people, and folks ought to be careful of being outside and doing any strenuous activity.

The Hill County Health Department says it rates Hi-Line’s air to be “very unhealthy.”

The dangerous situation is prompted by smoke caused by fires in Washington, Idaho and western Montana. The smoky air started in western Montana but moved eastward and hit the Hi-Line full force in the last couple of days.

Hill County Sanitarian Clay Vincent said he has heard a lot from people with lung conditions about the difficulty they are having, and now people who usually don’t have lung problems are coughing.

“It’s very unhealthy out there,” he said.

He and Kim Larson, spokeswoman for Hill County Health Department urged that people stay inside if possible.

“People with lung conditions shouldn’t be outside at all,” Vincent said.

Vincent said he couldn’t be optimistic that this is just a temporary condition.

“It looks like this is going to continue,” he said.

On a normal day, he said, there is a visibility range of 10 miles.

The range this morning was 1.3 to 2.1 miles, he said.

But as he drove in from east of town today, he said, he could see little more than mile.

Vincent warned against outside activities this weekend.

“Football, cross country, all the rest,” he said. “You are not doing your lungs any favors.”

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality rates air quality in most major cities. Cities as far west as Great Falls are listed as very unhealthy. People with respiratory disease are urged to stay inside and others are encouraged to limit outdoor activities.

Havre’s air quality is not rated, but Malta was given an “unhealthy for sensitive group” ranking, meaning that people with lung problems should avoid prolonged outdoor activity.

Kristen Martin, air quality meteorologist for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, said this morning that the smoke conditions are likely to last for the weekend, but she is hopeful they will be somewhat alleviated by Sunday night.

She is hoping that more rain will alleviate some of the difficulties.

However, there should be problems on and off for the next week or perhaps as long as a month away, she said.

Snowfall may be the only lasting remedy for fires that are causing the smoke, she said.

Here are air quality rankings as established by the Hill County Health Department:

•Unhealthy: Everyone can be affected. Sensitive groups are advised to avoid prolonged heavy exercise and consider moving activities indoors.

•Very unhealthy: Everyone can be affected. Sensitive groups are urged to avoid all physical activity outdoors and move activities indoors. Everyone else is urged to avoid prolonged heavy exertion.

•Hazardous: Everyone is urged to avoid physical activity outdoors.

•Sensitive groups: Are urged to remain indoors a keep activity at a low level.

A complete list can be found on http://www.havredailynews.com.