Pictured here is Picnic Rocks blanketed by smoke on Wednesday. Wednesday night saw the highest air quality index score and the unhealthiest air so far this week. (Journal photo by Abby LaForest)

MARQUETTE – Wednesday night saw a very unhealthy Air Quality Index score of 250 following 9 p.m. This score is the fifth of six possible levels, making it the second worst. As such, the AirNow.gov – Home of the U.S. Air Quality Index recommends the following: for sensitive groups to avoid all physical activity outdoors and to reschedule to a time when air quality is better or move activities indoors; for everyone else to avoid long or intense activities and to consider rescheduling or moving activities indoors.

“Looking at the EGLE (The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) sensors, last night was dealing with PM 2.5 which is a particulate matter of about 2.5 microns, in this case it is smoke particulates from Canada,” said Marquette meteorologist Greg Sova. “The air quality from that was in the 250 range for AQI. With a peak of around midnight last night.”

The sensor Sova was analyzing was located near Palmer and is jointly monitored by the National Weather Service Station in Marquette as well as EGLE.

‘We have had an air quality advisory since Tuesday,” said Alec Kownacki, Meteorologist with the Air Quality Division, SIP Development Unit at EGLE. “That comes from us, we send that to the weather service. The U.P. has been in advisory since Tuesday and we expanded that statewide. Me and my colleagues just got off the phone, extending that to Saturday.”

EGLE and the weather service use a variety of sensors across the state to monitor the air quality. They have only a few wide range regulatory monitors and PurpleAir sensors which fill in the gaps that the regulatory leave out. Across the state the sensors have been picking up high AQI. The AQI comes in six color coordinated levels: green, yellow, orange, red, purple and maroon.

“Once it gets to red, purple and maroon,” Kownacki said. “That brings in the general population, you could be the healthiest person but you would still feel the effects such as eyes watering or a hard time breathing.”

Running fans will help filter air, but if there are no options to help filter the air it is best to keep windows closed. Those with asthma, are elderly or have other breathing issues are considered in the sensitive group and are to take more care with the air advisory. Children also fall into this group.

“As of now we are seeing that the smoke might last through the weekend, we don’t want to issue something this far out,” said Kownacki. “We will keep updating it.”

Antonio Anderson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. His email address is aanderson@miningjournal.net.