Where Is All The Smoke Coming From? When Will It Go Away?
There are 73 active fires just in Montana at the moment, many more across the region
By Denise Rivette
Tuesday will continue to be smoky with relief possible on Wednesday when a change in the weather pattern is expected to bring some showers and cooler temperatures. In addition to the methods of decreasing the effects of wildfire smoke listed in the graphic above, N95 and KN95 masks are also effective at reducing the effects of wildfire smoke.
There are currently 73 active fires in Montana; 13 started in the last 24 hours. This year there have been 1,919 fires in Montana; 18 started in the last week. 314,156 acres are reported to have burned so far. Below is a screenshot of the interactive fire map as of 6:00 p.m. this evening that the State of Montana is monitoring on the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (NDRC) website.
In addition, there are many more fires throughout the western United States that, depending on winds and weather may affect our area. Below is a screenshot from the interactive map on the InciWeb website showing the active fires they are currently monitoring.
Both the DNRC website and the InciWeb website are available for public use and are updated regularly.
Keep an eye out for signs of health effects of smoke on yourself, loved ones, neighbors and pets. Limit outdoor activities as much as possible during smoky days.