Smoke from wildfires burning in the Pacific Northwest and Canada will continue to cause hazy skies and decreased air quality over the next couple of days in Northeast Georgia.
A westerly/northwesterly flow is carrying the smoke particulates south. This may result in fiery sunrises and sunsets, with the sun appearing redder.
Haze was visible Thursday and is expected to be thicker Friday and Saturday.
The region’s air quality could drop into the “moderate” to “unhealthy” range in parts of the state, as this air quality map from the National Weather Service shows.
Wildfire smoke contains tiny bits of matter, called particulate matter. These microscopic particles can contain soil, dust, mold, organic chemicals and other allergens. The particles can penetrate deep into your lungs, causing a range of health problems from burning eyes and a runny nose to aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases.
If you have allergies or health conditions that make you sensitive to poor air quality you may want to consider staying inside, at least for the first part of this weekend.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are currently 79 wildfires burning across 13 states. Wildfires have burned 1,448,053 acres, says NIFC, and “more than 21,700 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to wildfires across the United States.”
