Idaho Department of Environmental Quality issued a statewide air quality advisory earlier this afternoon. This is the first statewide advisory the agency has issued this summer. Here are some tips to help reduce your exposure to smoke and protect your health.

Older adults, infants, children and people with medical conditions such as asthma, lung disease, and heart disease are more sensitive to poor air quality. People who use inhalers for asthma or other conditions should keep them close at hand. Everyone is advised to seek medical treatment for uncontrolled coughing, wheezing, choking, or if breathing difficulties continues after they move indoors. 

Here is the DEQ news release:

BOISE — Smoke impacts from wildfires have prompted the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to issue a statewide air quality advisory.

This advisory is in effect through 2 p.m. Thursday, at which time conditions will be evaluated again on a county‑by‑county basis. This advisory does not apply to lands within Indian reservation boundaries or to activities associated with fire suppression.

“Air quality is in the Moderate to Unhealthy categories throughout most of the state and is forecast to remain that way for the next 24 to 36 hours,” DEQ Smoke Management Program Coordinator Morrie Lewis said.

Under this advisory, all open burning is prohibited, including campfires, recreational fires, weed control burning, and residential burning.

Daily updates on air quality conditions at various locations in Idaho are available on DEQ’s Air Quality Reports and Forecasts and Current Wildfire Smoke Information webpages.

For areas where air quality monitors are not available, the Visibility Range and AQI Table can help determine the necessary precautions to take.