Western Montana Air Quality Risky to People With Health Issues

Hot temperatures and continued wildfire activity in Idaho and western Montana have created unhealthy air quality for a large portion of Montana. 

Many day of hot temperatures have also prompted Fire Weather Watches for dozens of southwestern and south central Montana counties. (Those details after the Air Quality Alerts below.)

• THERE IS AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES IN WESTERN MONTANA
• WHAT: The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued an air quality alert for:
• WHERE: Deer Lodge, Granite, Mineral, Missoula, and Ravalli counties
• WHEN: in effect until 8AM 9/9/2024
• WHY: due to elevated particulate levels from wildfire smoke
• An Air Quality Alert means that particulates have been trending upwards and that an exceedence of the 24 hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) has occurred or may occur in the near future.
• As of 8AM on Sunday, September 8th:
• particulate levels in Hamilton are Unhealthy
• Particulate levels in Frenchtown and Missoula levels 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 "Moderate", State and local health officials recommend that unusually sensitive people should consider reducing prolonged or heavy exertion.

As of 9am on Sunday, September 8th, 2024, per AirNow, the AQI registered as following for these Montana towns:

• Hamilton, MT: 140 AQI
• Victor, MT: 173 AQI
• Corvallis, MT: 188 AQI
• Stevensville, MT: 172 AQI

Check the current AQI for any area (in any state) here