Use This Useful Trick to Assess Hazardous Air in Montana

BUTTE, MT - An unfortunate outcome of the wildfire season here in Montana is the awful and dangerous air quality that ultimately pollutes the air.

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We see it every year: devastating wildfires that spread over thousands of miles of our beautiful, serene state. And, because of it, smokey, dangerous air that fills the entire blue summer sky, making it even hotter outside and even leading to more wildfires. We've all seen how different the air can be day after day, with some being thicker than others and vice versa.

But what if there was a way to tell just how dangerous the air quality is? Is there a way to tell when the air is just hazardous and when its borderline dangerous? Believe it or not, there is, and you don't even need your phone or device to do it.

First, let's take a look at a helpful chart—provided by Montana's Department of Environmental Quality—that will help us understand exactly what we mean when we use terms like dangerous, hazardous, etc. Take a look below:

Though Butte has not reached levels of "Hazardous" yet, it is good to know where it lies and what the danger is.

Now that we've seen the handy chart and understand where these numbers lie, let's talk about what you can do when you have no access to the current DEQ Air Quality rating. Butte-Silver Bow County's website has provided visibility guidelines for when there's a smokey day.

Here's what you can do to assess air quality yourself:

Guidelines for Visibility

If you can't see 5 miles, then that is considered to be Unhealthy Air.
If you can't see 2 miles, then that is considered to be Very Unhealthy Air.
If you can't see 1 mile, then that is considered to be Hazardous Air.

Here's how you can estimate air quality based on visibility conditions:

• Use pre-determined landmarks that were established on a clear day for distances.
  • For us, we like to use the "M" hill.
• Face away from the sun.
• Determine the limit of your visible range by looking for targets at known distances (miles).

Using these handy tricks, you can tell just how hazardous the air is and if you need to take action this wildfire season.