DES MOINES, Iowa — The wind pushed wildfire smoke from the western Canadian provinces British Columbia and Alberta into Iowa earlier this week. As the haze remains in the sky, central and northern Iowa will be stuck with diminished air quality until Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
As a result, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) originally issued an air quality alert for both areas. Central Iowa no longer has an air quality "unhealthy for sensitive groups," which are individuals with heart or lung disease, older adults and children.
It may be allergy season now, but the DNR said the time when poor air quality conditions seep into Iowa continues to occur earlier each year.
"This is only about one week earlier than last year if I can recall correctly," said Todd Russell with Iowa DNR's ambient air monitoring team. "This one took me by surprise."
Medical professionals told Local 5 they can identify wildfire smoke and poor air quality through their patients' symptoms.
"Our patients usually will have a lot of coughing that's troublesome to them, and it will be really hard for them to breathe," said pulmonologist Dr. Matt Trump with the Iowa Clinic. "They'll struggle for a while. They might notice that their chest is tight."
As the spring and summer months progress, air quality will continue to be an issue in Iowa and across the U.S. To best stay safe, especially for sensitive groups, staying indoors is the best option. If you have to be outside, limit strenuous exercise like running.