Cheshire, Sullivan and Grafton, and high elevation areas, will remain under an unhealthy air quality alert for the fourth day in a row on Wednesday.
The rest of the state will experience some improved air quality, offering some respite from unhealthy levels caused by smokes from wildfires in Western Canada.
According to state Air Quality Analyst Sarah-Ellen Calise, the Department of Environmental Services is paying close attention to air quality, as some models indicate that air quality might start to deteriorate again on Thursday as more smoke makes its way to the Northeast.
The levels of fine particulate matter from the smoke can travel deep into a person’s lungs.
“People with preexisting conditions, such as asthma or other existing lung diseases, may not be able to breathe as deeply or as vigorously as normal,” said Kathleen Simmons, the state's senior air quality scientist.
For sensitive groups, like children, older adults, people with lung disease, or people outdoors, officials recommend reducing prolonged or heavy exertion outside.
Cynthia Nichols, a member of New Hampshire Healthy Climate, said difficulty breathing, irritated lungs and coughing are the main symptoms of respiratory impacts due to poor air quality.
She also recommended making sure that you are signed up to receive air quality alerts and to check your home’s filtration systems.
Canadian wildfires affecting air quality may seem like a summer routine now. But Simmons, the air quality scientist, says her team has started needing to keep track of fires and smoke just in the past five years, as air quality issues became more common.
“We're seeing impacts here in the Northeast like we haven't before,” Simmons said, “so now it's part of our daily forecasting regime.”
As human-caused climate change heats up the atmosphere, hotter weather, earlier snow melt, and decreasing summer rain have all contributed to an increase in fire activity, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Here are some resources on how to stay safe with unhealthy air quality:
- Check the air quality in New Hampshire here or here.
- The CDC has recommendations for how to keep smoke out of your home. The EPA has this guide to making your own home filter.
- And some more tips from Johns Hopkins University.
