PITTSBURGH, Pa. (National Presse) – Air quality censors around the nation are warning residents to stay indoors and to filter their air as wildfire smoke sweeps east from the magnitude of different wildfires occurring.
Wildfires have been seen in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. In some areas like California, air monitors indicated that the Air Quality Index was around 1,400 – signifying the hazardous air quality.
In Colorado, wildfires had spread to over 1,800 acres at Alexander Mountain, which sits between Denver and Fort Collins. Fire officials had reported they have zero containment of this blaze, and are using aircraft now.
In California, arson is to blame for the Park fire which has been declared to be the fifth largest wildfire in this history of California. Evacuations have been issued the past few days, including near Lyons.
A 74-year-old pilot was killed while fighting the wildfires. Authorities say Jim Maxwell had over 24,000 hours of flight time when his air-tanker he was operating in eastern Oregon lost contact with air traffic controllers over the Malheur National Forest. Maxwell was trying to assist with the eastern Oregon fires but became a casualty “doing what he loved doing”, according to family members.
If you are interested in learning more about the fires, smoke coverage, and air quality index, please visit https://fire.airnow.gov/
