1.3 Million Acres Burning in the West Cause Rapid Afternoon Air Quality Drop, Haze over Westport

Smoke plumes depicted on the AirNow database late today. 

Wildfires in the North Western United States and South Western Canada have sent smoke plumes across the continent, clouding Westport skies and hazing over the horizons as the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program reported unhealthy air quality and active smoke plumes in the area, drastically increasing air pollutants throughout the day Tuesday.

During what was supposed to be a clear, sunny day in the community - the Connecticut DEEP Bridgeport air quality measurement device registered a rapid increase in the pollutants in the air over the area, jumping from just 8 micrograms per cubic meter at 8:00 AM, to 77.8 micrograms/cubic meter by 8:00 PM today.

The smoke plumes have been hovering over the tri-state area, with southern New York, northern New Jersey, and Western Connecticut experiencing the brunt of the poor air quality. According to data from the AirNow program, the smoke plume over the area is heaviest over Westport, with its outer bands reaching over Long Island and ending just prior to West Hampton.

AirNow reports that the air quality is stable, but advices high risk individuals to limit time outdoors and monitor for signs of illness. Smoke from the fires will continue for the immediate future, as over 1.3 million acres were reported as burning in the July 20th Incident Management Situation report, with the Northwest fire region accounting for 550,098 burning acres in Montana and nearby states. 19,347 fire personnel were reported as battling the blazes as of Tuesday.

Live air quality updates and smoke alerts can be found on the AirNow website.