CONTACTS
Leah Bucco-White, Department of Health and Human Services, (402) 471-9356
leah.bucco-white@nebraska.gov
Emily Case, Department of Environment and Energy, (402) 471-4245
emily.case@nebraska.gov
Issued: August 24-25, 2020
Affected Area: Western Nebraska
Air Quality Index: Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Potential Air Quality Impacts From Wildfires in the Western U.S.
Numerous large wildfires in the western United States may affect the air quality in Nebraska. Nebraska continues to monitor smoke levels and wind directions and provides updates accordingly to the media and public. Smoke advisories are issued for impacted areas by notifying the media and local health departments, and posting information on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy's (NDEE) webpages and social sites. Advisories help citizens protect their health by alerting them to days where outdoor activities should be reduced or avoided to minimize exposure to smoke.
Advisories are based on data provided by NDEE and the National Weather Service (NWS), and from air quality monitors that are located in Lincoln, Omaha, Bellevue, Grand Island and Scottsbluff.
An advisory of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange category) impacts may occur in western Nebraska, potentially affecting Alliance, Chadron, Kimball, Scottsbluff and Sidney, on Monday, August 24 through Tuesday, August 25. An advisory of Moderate (yellow category) impacts may continue into Wednesday, August 26, but conditions are expected to move back to the green category (no impacts) by Thursday, August 27.
During yellow category/moderate conditions, unusually sensitive groups should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. When conditions rise to the orange category, sensitive groups are advised to reduce prolonged outdoor exertion.
The following Air Quality Index (AQI) is used. This AQI is used nationally. For an hourly update on air quality across Nebraska visit https://www.airnow.gov.
For more information on smoke awareness, visit NDEE's website at http://deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/OnWeb/AirSA.
For more information on burn activity and a smoke outlook, visit NDEE's website at http://deq.ne.gov/Press.nsf/pages/AirSA-2.
CONTACTS
Leah Bucco-White, Department of Health and Human Services, (402) 471-9356
leah.bucco-white@nebraska.gov
Emily Case, Department of Environment and Energy, (402) 471-4245
emily.case@nebraska.gov
DHHS/NDEE Issue Smoke Advisory for Western Nebraska
Issued:
August 24-25, 2020
Affected
Area: Western Nebraska
Air
Quality Index: Moderate
to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Potential Air
Quality Impacts From Wildfires in the Western U.S.
Numerous large wildfires in the western United States may
affect the air quality in Nebraska.
Nebraska continues to monitor smoke levels and wind directions and
provides updates accordingly to the media and public. Smoke advisories are issued for impacted
areas by notifying the media and local health departments, and posting
information on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and
the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy's (NDEE) webpages and social
sites. Advisories help citizens protect their health by alerting them to days
where outdoor activities should be reduced or avoided to minimize exposure to
smoke.
Advisories are based on data provided by NDEE and the
National Weather Service (NWS), and from air quality monitors that are located
in Lincoln, Omaha, Bellevue, Grand Island and Scottsbluff.
An advisory
of Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange
category) impacts may occur in western Nebraska, potentially affecting
Alliance, Chadron, Kimball, Scottsbluff and Sidney, on Monday, August 24 through
Tuesday, August 25. An advisory of Moderate (yellow
category) impacts may continue into Wednesday, August 26, but conditions are
expected to move back to the green category (no impacts) by Thursday, August
27.
During yellow
category/moderate conditions, unusually sensitive groups should consider
limiting prolonged outdoor exertion. When conditions rise to the orange
category, sensitive groups are advised to reduce prolonged outdoor exertion.
The following Air Quality Index (AQI) is used. This AQI is
used nationally. For an hourly update on air quality across Nebraska
visit https://www.airnow.gov .
For more information
on smoke awareness, visit NDEE's website at http://deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/OnWeb/AirSA .
For more
information on burn activity and a smoke outlook, visit NDEE's website at http://deq.ne.gov/Press.nsf/pages/AirSA-2 .