Mesa County Public Health (MCPH) has issued an Air Quality Advisory through Saturday, June 12 at 9:00 AM.
Areas of moderate to heavy smoke have been observed across Mesa County Friday morning, particularly in valley locations. Smoke will gradually decrease late Friday morning, however any fire activity today at the Pack Creek wildfire in eastern Utah will send smoke back into the area late Friday afternoon and Friday evening. This brings the potential for another period of moderate to heavy smoke overnight Friday and into early Saturday morning.
If visibility is less than 5 miles in smoke in your neighborhood, smoke has reached levels that are unhealthy. Residents are advised to take the following precautions to stay healthy:
- Avoid heavy outdoor exertion such as running or other forms of exercise.
- Keep your indoor air clean and stay inside as much as possible.
- Avoid activities that increase indoor pollution. You want to keep your indoor air as clean as possible.
- Do not vacuum. It stirs up dust in your home.
- Do not smoke tobacco in your home.
- Do not burn candles, fireplaces, or gas stoves.
- Avoid generating aerosols.
- Consider relocating temporarily if smoke is present indoors and is making you ill.
- Contact your health care provider if you’re concerned about your health.
- Avoid generating particulate pollution (burning, blowing, using combustion engines).
Individuals with heart disease, respiratory illnesses, the very young, and the elderly are especially sensitive to poor air quality.
Agricultural burns, which are allowed year-round, are not allowed when there are air quality advisories or high wind, Red Flag, or other weather warnings in place.
For more information on air quality conditions and alerts, including real-time readings through a community-sourced monitoring system called Purple Air, visit health.mesacounty.us.