(Douglas County, NE) -- For a second day in a row, air quality in the Omaha metro is diminished due to smoke from wildfires.
On Friday, the Douglas County Health Department said the Air Quality Index in the county has reached the 'Unhealthy' rating. The unhealthy rating is due to smoke that is filtering in from wildfires in Canada and the Western United States. DCHD says that rating means that everyone, not just people in sensitive groups, may experience health effects due to the reduced air quality.
Members of sensitive groups – such as persons with heart and lung disease, older adults, and children – may experience more serious health effects. “This situation is not something that often happens in our community,” said Russ Hadan, Supervisor of Air Quality for DCHD. “From the data I’ve seen, it appears this will be with us all day. People need to be aware of this situation for their health and safety.”
The public is advised to minimize outdoor activities as long as the conditions remain. DCHD says the best way to monitor the situation is to check their Air Quality Monitoring home page.