Wildfire haze expected to stick around, possibly through July

As the massive wildfires in Saskatchewan continue to rage, showing no sign of stopping soon, the smoke and haze drifting down to the Red River Valley are expected to stick around this week and possibly through July. WDAY-TV meteorologist John Wheeler said the smoke was heavy in the area Monday morning, though not as bad as on Saturday, when the Environmental Protection Agency rated air quality as unhealthy and the worst in the nation. Wheeler said wind from areas that saw rain on Sunday is now in the Fargo-Moorhead area, and cleaned much of the smoke to the northwest. While there wasn't any rain locally on Sunday, some thunderstorms moved through the northern Red River Valley. "It's a huge area covered in smoke," Wheeler said. "There's a fair chance the smoke will return Tuesday." Wheeler noted the massive size of the fires, which have caused thousands of people to be evacuated in Saskatchewan. See satellite photos above Saskatchewan here. "That area of fire is not going to get put out in a matter of days,” Wheeler said. “It's going to burn probably all of July." He said predicting the day-to-day smoke and haze severity is difficult because of a number of factors, including thunderstorms, wind from those storms and changes in upper-level winds. "We're going to be dealing with more days with smoke than not,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Riddle of the Grand Forks office. “It's not going to be the best of times." Although it's hard to say what the wind will do, Wheeler said a high-pressure system may be developing over this coming weekend that could deflect some of the smoke by then or at the start of next week. When the air quality levels reach what the EPA regards as "unhealthy," people can experience serious health effects. People of those sensitive groups should remain indoors if those levels return and contact health care providers with concerns.
As the massive wildfires in Saskatchewan continue to rage, showing no sign of stopping soon, the smoke and haze drifting down to the Red River Valley are expected to stick around this week and possibly through July.WDAY-TV meteorologist John Wheeler said the smoke was heavy in the area Monday morning, though not as bad as on Saturday, when the Environmental Protection Agency rated air quality as unhealthy and the worst in the nation.Wheeler said wind from areas that saw rain on Sunday is now in the Fargo-Moorhead area, and cleaned much of the smoke to the northwest. While there wasn't any rain locally on Sunday, some thunderstorms moved through the northern Red River Valley."It's a huge area covered in smoke," Wheeler said. "There's a fair chance the smoke will return Tuesday."Wheeler noted the massive size of the fires, which have caused thousands of people to be evacuated in Saskatchewan.See satellite photos above Saskatchewan here."That area of fire is not going to get put out in a matter of days,” Wheeler said. “It's going to burn probably all of July."He said predicting the day-to-day smoke and haze severity is difficult because of a number of factors, including thunderstorms, wind from those storms and changes in upper-level winds."We're going to be dealing with more days with smoke than not,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Dan Riddle of the Grand Forks office. “It's not going to be the best of times."Although it's hard to say what the wind will do, Wheeler said a high-pressure system may be developing over this coming weekend that could deflect some of the smoke by then or at the start of next week.When the air quality levels reach what the EPA regards as "unhealthy," people can experience serious health effects. People of those sensitive groups should remain indoors if those levels return and contact health care providers with concerns.