Air quality still poor, but slowly improving
Photo by Robert Kalberg This photo of Turkey Hollow Road was taken Saturday after smoke from wildfires in the region rolled into Boundary County, causing air quality to worsen for the next few days.
Photo by Robert Kalberg A photo of Turkey Hollow Road taken earlier this summer shows the stark difference before the wildfire smoke arrived in Boundary County.
BONNERS FERRY — After a few days of heavy smoke layering the air over the weekend, air quality in Bonners Ferry is gradually improving at a steady rate.
With smoke in the air migrating over from Oregon and Washington due to raging wildfires in those states, Bonners Ferry has experienced air quality over the last few days that has been among the worst in the country.
Over the weekend, the air quality index (AQI) for Bonners Ferry registered at 426 on Saturday and 313 on Sunday, both of which were firmly in the “Hazardous” category on the AQI scale. Bonners Ferry’s AQI dropped down to 257 (Very Unhealthy) on Monday morning and 213 by the evening, and was at 163 (Unhealthy) on Tuesday as the sun finally began to peek through the smoke.
Air quality in Bonners Ferry is supposed to dip down into the “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” category on Thursday before dropping below 100 and into the moderate range by the weekend, according to predictions from Idaho Department of Environmental Quality officials.
Currently in the “Unhealthy” category, the risk is described as, “Exposure can result in eye and throat irritation, coughing or difficulty breathing, and aggravated asthma. More frequent and excessive exposure can result in more serious health effects.”
Although the air quality is gradually increasing, Bonners Ferry residents are still advised to wear masks outdoors and avoid outdoor activities until air quality has returned to normal.
