Most of northeast Montana is under a blanket of smoke from Canadian wildfires. Air quality in Sidney was unhealthyfor sensitive groups for part of the day Thursday, meaning active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
Residents hope the forecast of rain will help with drought conditions.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is reporting nearly a dozen wildfires burning out of control across Manitoba. And an unusual northeast wind is pushing smoke into northeast Montana, says meteorologist Cory Mottice with the National Weather Service in Glasgow.
“Pretty much all of northeast Montana right now is seeing quite a bit of smoke from it. It has lowered visibilities down to below 2 miles in some cases. And it’s a pretty strong smell up here,” Mottice says.
Mottice says the smell is noticeable even inside buildings.
A wetting rain dropped up to an inch over parts of the area Thursday morning.
Mottice says northeast Montana should see another one to two inches from other systems moving through the area through Sunday. The rain is much needed with that part of the state seeing extreme drought conditions.
Mottice said this rain will help some, “but we are about three inches below normal for most of the region so we’re going to be will be a little ways to go after this."