Smoke from surrounding fires continues to filter into Missoula. Environmental Health and Air Quality Specialist Sarah Coefield explains.

“We saw some of that smoke head in to Missoula last night around nine,” said Coefield. “A lot of folks between 8:30 and 9 really started to notice the smoke. It is going to vary depending on where you are in the valley of how thick that smoke is. For example, it never hit our monitor. These smoke impacts we are seeing have been very localized.”

Coefield says recent weather conditions should help clear some of the smoke out of the valley.

“We are supposed to have very warm temperatures today which should help that smoke lift up even higher and go more overhead,” Coefield said. “I am hoping the kind of easterly breezes we are seeing help push it away. We will be watching and monitoring the situation and as conditions do deteriorate we will be sure to let people know.”

According to Coefield, a prescribed burn in Idaho is one of the main causes for the smoke in the Missoula area.

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