Utah is expected to stay smoky through the weekend, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.
The smoke is blowing in from wildfires in Canada, state air quality officials said Friday. At 1 p.m. Saturday, Salt Lake County’s air quality was rated as “moderate,” according to the DEQ, with the concentration of a particle pollution — which is a mixture of extremely small dust and soot particles — at 28.4 µg/m3.
This means that one cubic meter of air contains 28.4 micrograms of particle pollution. Salt Lake County’s air quality is forecast to be unhealthy for sensitive groups through Sunday, and is expected to move to a “moderate” quality on Monday.
Utah County’s air quality was forecast as moderate Saturday but is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups on Sunday, before moving back to a moderate rating on Monday.
The department said individuals should consolidate trips and choose cleaner transportation options over the next few days as the smoke circulates. If the smoke becomes thick, people with existing heart or respiratory ailments should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity.
So far this year, there have been 1,402 wildfires in Canada, about 340 more wildfires than average, according to Natural Resources Canada’s National Wildland Fire Situation Report from May 17. While the number of Canadian wildfires is 132% of normal this year, the total area of hectares burned is 1,605% of normal.
There are 58 “uncontrolled” fires burning in the country, with 40 “being held” and 93 that were “controlled,” the Canadian agency also reported, and another 15 fires had a “modified response.”
In Utah, there is one active wildfire, named the Timber Top Fire, which is burning in Washington County north of St. George, according to the state wildfire tracking information on Friday afternoon. The agency was also reporting several controlled burns across the state.