Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Nearby wildfires at times can cause the air quality in the area to become polluted and potentially cause health problems. Fires this week burning near Colville, Spangle, Riggins, Kahlotus and other nearby areas, combined with winds, brought smoke to the area over the weekend, lowering the air quality.
Most of the smoke had moved out by Monday, with the air quality in Pullman labeled as good on the Department of Ecology website.
Ecology has six rankings on its website to indicate to the public the air quality.
Those include good, which indicates that pollution is minimal and there is little health risk; moderate, which warns that people with asthma, respiratory infection, diabetes, lung or heart disease or who have had a stroke could experience breathing problems and should limit outdoor activities or do activities which take less effort; unhealthy for sensitive groups, indicating that more people than average may have breathing problems or those with asthma or lung disease will have worsening symptoms and those groups should limit time spent outdoors; unhealthy, in which many more people than average will experience breathing difficulties, especially those with existing lung or heart disease, and everyone should limit spent outdoors, and those with asthma, respiratory infections, diabetes, lung or heart disease or who are pregnant should stay indoors; very unhealthy, which indicates that some healthy people could start to experience breathing problems, and everyone should stay indoors and keep windows closed, and hazardous, in which more healthy people could experience breathing issues and that those with asthma, lung or heart disease may need medical attention, and everyone should stay indoors, do only light activities and keep windows closed.
When nearby wildfires burned in Kamiah and around the Spokane area in August of 2015, the air quality index in Whitman County actually reached the hazardous level, causing local events such as Endicott's Tin Foil Man, the Tour de Lentil bike ride and Washington State University recreation programs to be cancelled.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, health problems which can arise from poor air quality due to smoke include eye, nose and throat irritation, indicated by burning eyes and a runny nose; wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and headaches, and aggravation of existing lung, heart and circulatory conditions.
Those concerned can contact local health departments for health information. Air quality can be monitored at the Department of Ecology website.
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