Weather Alert

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT... THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS ISSUED AN AIR QUALITY ALERT FOR BROADWATER, CASCADE, DEER LODGE, FLATHEAD, GLACIER, GOLDEN VALLEY, GRANITE, JEFFERSON, LAKE, LEWIS AND CLARK, LINCOLN, MINERAL, MISSOULA, MUSSELSHELL, PONDERA, POWELL, RAVALLI, SANDERS, TETON, WHEATLAND, AND YELLOWSTONE COUNTIES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9/19/2020 4 PM HEAVY WILDFIRE SMOKE AND ELEVATED PARTICULATE CONCENTRATIONS. THIS ALERT WILL BE UPDATED AGAIN AT 9/19/2020 4 PM. AN AIR QUALITY ALERT MEANS THAT PARTICULATES HAVE BEEN TRENDING UPWARDS AND THAT AN EXCEEDENCE OF THE 24 HOUR NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARD HAS OCCURRED OR MAY OCCUR IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AS OF 9 AM, PARTICULATE LEVELS IN CUT BANK, FRENCHTOWN, HAMILTON, LIBBY, MISSOULA, SEELEY LAKE, AND THOMPSON FALLS ARE UNHEALTHY AS OF 9 AM, PARTICULATE LEVELS IN BILLINGS, COLUMBIA FALLS, GREAT FALLS, AND HELENA ARE UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS AS OF 9 AM, PARTICULATE LEVELS IN BIRNEY, BOZEMAN, BROADUS, BUTTE, LEWISTOWN, MALTA, WEST YELLOWSTONE ARE MODERATE WHEN AIR QUALITY IS UNHEALTHY... STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY OR HEART DISEASE, THE ELDERLY, AND CHILDREN SHOULD AVOID PROLONGED EXERTION; EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD LIMIT PROLONGED EXERTION. WHEN AIR QUALITY IS UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS... STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE WITH RESPIRATORY OR HEART DISEASE, THE ELDERLY AND CHILDREN SHOULD LIMIT PROLONGED EXERTION. WHEN AIR QUALITY IS MODERATE... STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS RECOMMEND THAT UNUSUALLY SENSITIVE PEOPLE SHOULD CONSIDER REDUCING PROLONGED OR HEAVY EXERTION. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AT HTTP://TODAYSAIR.MT.GOV