Air conditions worsen again

That sinus-irritating, eye-stinging smoky haze is back, but not to the degree it was last week.

Air quality in the Coeur d’Alene area deteriorated again Thursday, and conditions are expected to degrade further today.

Shawn Sweetapple, regional air quality manager for the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, said the smoke is from Montana wildfires and is being brought into the area by winds aloft coming from the east.

“It looks like this is going to persist through Saturday with some possible breaks. The smoke is hitting hardest down through the Silver Valley and into Coeur d’Alene,” Sweetapple said. “The counties to the north and south are getting some impact, but not as bad as here.”

A front is forecast to start moving through the area on Sunday.

“That should help clear things out and hopefully bring us some rain,” Sweetapple said.

The local air quality index was 147 at 5 p.m. Thursday, meaning conditions were considered unhealthy for sensitive groups: people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children.

Air quality is expected to move into the “unhealthy” range today in Kootenai County, to an index value around 151. When the air quality is “unhealthy,” everyone may begin to experience health effects from the smoke, and sensitive groups may experience more serious health issues.

Last week, air conditions in Coeur d’Alene were, at times, considered “very healthy” and “hazardous.”