It's not really "smoke levels", it's the air quality that has dropped to orange. I just thought it seemed alarmist to say "air quality is dropping". So according to AirNow.gov, Bismarck/Mandan are at an air quality of 91 which is considered moderate.

If you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors.

Meanwhile many miles to the east, Fargo's air quality is a whopping 184! That's in the red which is considered "unhealthy".  I imagine we've had been hovering around there earlier in the week.  Here's the recommendations for Fargo...

People with heart or lung disease, older adults, children and teens – take any of these steps to reduce your exposure Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.

Keep outdoor activities short.

Consider moving physical activities indoors or rescheduling them.

The smoke is moving into the area from wildfires in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, California, and Canada.  Making it dangerous to those with asthma or respiratory issues, while making it uncomfortable for those of us with allergies.

When I was young, I had no problem with allergies.  Now it seems that every year that goes by, I get sneezier and sleepier.  Whether it's smoke or ragweed, some days my nose just never stops running.  I've tried a variety of anti-histamines and they all make me tired enough for a nice little afternoon nap.

I'm sure we've got plenty of wildfire season left, and we should pray for those that are in the path of those fires.  If you're overly sensitive to smoke make sure to bookmark airnow.gov/fires/ and you can plan accordingly.  From there, you can also keep up to date with fires and conditions across the country.

I will say smoke does make for some beautiful sunsets.


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