Air quality warning issued for northwest Iowa through Tuesday night

Northwest Iowa – If you are sensitive to poor air quality, this is something to keep in mind. Canadian wildfires are once again impacting our air quality in northwest Iowa.

The Iowa DNR has issued an air quality warning for the northernmost four county levels west of I-35 and the northernmost county level east of I-35 until 11 p.m. tomorrow. Smoke from Canadian wildfires has entered the region from the north and particulate matter levels are expected to be at or above the national standard.

The DNR tells us it recommends people avoid long or intense outdoor activities and take more breaks during outdoor activities until air quality improves. Members of sensitive groups may wish to take additional precautions. The sensitive groups include people with respiratory or heart diseases, children, young people, older people and field workers. The warning ends Tuesday evening at 11 p.m.

The warning applies to KIWA’s entire listening area in Iowa, including our four main counties of Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola and Sioux.