The air quality is downright nasty for most of the state as it smells like a campfire outside.
Air quality has been technically at unhealthy to even hazardous levels for the last few days and in these conditions, everyone — regardless of age or health — should remain indoors as much as possible.
Even while indoors, activity levels should be kept light to moderate. And if you must be outside, keep those activities light and as brief as possible.
The average person breathes in about 3,400 gallons of air each day. Breathing in polluted air like this can have immediate health effects where even healthy adults experience throat and nose irritation and difficulty breathing.
While the air is terrible outside, there are some ways to improve some of the air you breathe.
Wildfire smoke concentration can vary widely by time of day. Cooler times of day are synonymous with worse air quality. As temperatures start going down in the evening, the wind typically eases and air begins to sink from the atmosphere to the ground. Smoke will almost act like a fluid, finding and settling into lower areas.
If you're outside, those old COVID masks offer more protection and filtration against larger pm 2.5 smoke particles. But the best way to prevent breathing harmful particles in wildfire smoke is to avoid the outdoor air.
Air conditioning would be ideal, but maybe you don't have it. If you have central ducted air conditioning, use recirculation mode to prevent outdoor smoke from getting in.
Do not run swamp coolers or whole-house fans. close windows and doors, and avoid indoor activities like vacuuming that increase indoor pollution.
You can even build a temporary air purifier with a box fan, a 20" by 20" air filter, and a duct.
Just like a severe storm that sends people inside, it's best to ride this one out by mainly remaining indoors until conditions improve over the next several days.
The latest air quality readings from across Montana can be found here.
