Wildfire season is in full swing, and smoke from Central Oregon and Washington fires is funneling into Western Idaho, filling the air across the Treasure Valley.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality advisory for Ada, Canyon, Gem, Payette and Washington Counties. When in effect, the advisory means all outdoor burning is prohibited.
“[That ] includes recreational fires (such as campfires and firepits), weed control burning, residential burning (including burn barrels), burning orchard clippings on the property they were generated, prescribed fires, crop residue burns, landfill disposal site burning, and training fires by fire departments and land managers,” a statement on the department’s website reads.
As of Tuesday, the air quality in the Treasure Valley reached “unhealthy” levels for everyone.
“We are right now in the red,” said Mike Toole, regional airshed coordinator for DEQ. “It's not good out there. If you can limit your exposure outside, it's highly recommended that you stay out of it.”
Smoke-filled air can cause a wide range of symptoms, from allergic responses to respiratory and cardiovascular distress.
“If you have any concerns or you feel like it's impacting you, we highly recommend individuals reach out to their primary care provider,” Toole added.
For those who must go outside, he recommends limiting or consolidating trips, and avoiding strenuous activities.
“Because when you're exerting yourself, you're increasing your respiratory rate, your heart rate, and you're just sucking in more of that smoke,” he added.
Indoor spaces are safer but smoke can still seep in.
“Modern day AC units and furnaces, depending on the filter, can help greatly,” Toole said. “The do-it-yourself air filters have become more and more popular and have been shown to be effective with indoor air quality.
For more up- to -date information, Toole recommended checking out the DEQ’s website as well as the governmental map Fire and Smoke. It compiles data from federal and tribal air quality monitors, as well as individually owned scanners.
“It gives you more points of data, more locations for monitors to get a sense of what's going on,” Toole said.
He said while smoke is temperamental and dependent on weather and temperature changes, he anticipates it will linger in the area for the rest of the week.
