Early on Friday, air quality alerts were posted in a number of states, including Nebraska, Washington, Montana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. A special weather statement about Wyoming's air quality was also posted.
Later in the day, the most intense smoke concentrations should move farther east towards the Midwest, hitting significant metro centers including Chicago, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.
The fire season has gotten off to an exceptionally aggressive start in Canada. Devastating wildfires in Alberta this week have destroyed more land there than in that province in the previous five years put together at the same stage in the year.
Canadian wildfire smoke is expected to spread over Nebraska from this afternoon through tomorrow morning, potentially causing hazardous air quality and reduced visibility in eastern Nebraska and Iowa. When the air quality is bad, try to avoid going outside as much as you can, the National Weather Service in Omaha tweeted on Thursday.
According to the service's Omaha office, wildfire smoke "is starting to move into the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas" on Thursday afternoon. Within the next few hours, visibility should decrease to 1-2 miles, and the air quality will reach an unsafe level for vulnerable populations.
In eastern Nebraska’s Douglas County – which includes Omaha – the health department warned smoke could remain through Saturday.
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality Index indicated parts of the Rockies, the Great Plains and the Midwest, including the Nebraska Panhandle and northeast corner of the state, had “very unhealthy” air quality early Friday.
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