Beware red sun at morning

Dec 07, 2023

Smoke from wildfires, particulate matter and other forms of air pollution color a summer sunset over Chequamegon Bay in northern Wisconsin.

Pollution shows as a low dark layer hovering just above the horizon over Lake Superior moments before sunrise.

A crimson morning sun reflects red on Lake Superior while smoke from wildfires obscures all in the distance.

In far-southern Wisconsin the sun is just as red as at the northern border, as it sets June 5 in Columbia County.

Jason Maloney and Red

Nobody misses a toothache when it goes away; once the toothache is gone we tend to forget about it. The same is true of bad air quality. Wisconsin experienced many days during the summer of 2021 that saw air filled with smoke from wildfires in the western United States, Minnesota and Canada. We had little smoke in 2022. But with current wildfires in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia as well as the western United States, smoke has returned to the sky in Wisconsin.

Smoke is easy to see, so it heightens our awareness of air quality. But even on days without smoke the air can be filled with other harmful agents. Many air pollutants result from human activities such as using internal-combustion engines, industry, burning wood or coal, and smoking. Air pollution can also come from natural events such as dust storms and wildfires.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend several ways to deal with outdoor smoke.

• Pay attention to visibility guides if available. Although not every community measures the amount of particles in the air, some communities have guidelines to help people estimate air quality based on how far they can see.

• If told to stay indoors, stay indoors and keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed unless it's very hot outside. Or run an air conditioner but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from coming inside. Seek shelter elsewhere if no air conditioner and it's too warm to stay inside with the windows closed.

• Use an air filter. Use a freestanding indoor air filter with particle removal to help protect people with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory conditions – as well as the elderly and children – from the effects of wildfire smoke. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on filter replacement and where to place the device.

• Do not add to indoor pollution. When smoke levels are extreme, don't use anything that burns such as candles and fireplaces. Don't vacuum because vacuuming stirs up particles already inside the home. Don't smoke tobacco or other products because smoking puts even more pollution into the air.

• Follow a doctor's advice about medicines and about a respiratory-management plan in those with asthma, or another lung disease or cardiovascular disease. Call a doctor if symptoms worsen.

• Don't rely on dust masks for protection. Paper "comfort" or "dust" masks commonly found at hardware stores trap large particles such as sawdust. Those masks will not protect lungs from smoke. An "N95" mask, properly worn, will offer some protection. See the Respirator Fact Sheet provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Visit www.cdc.gov/disasters/wildfires/smoke.html for more information.

• Avoid smoke exposure during outdoor recreation. Wildfires and prescribed burns – fires that are set on purpose to manage land – can create smoky conditions. Before traveling to a park or forest, check to see if any wildfires are happening or if any prescribed burns are planned.

In our modern world we have air pollution from many causes, including wildfires. But we also have tools that help us know when air pollution is at dangerous levels, and we have ways to mitigate some of the danger. By using those tools we can remain healthy and still accomplish our essential outdoor work and recreation.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources tracks sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, two sizes of particulate matter and ozone. Inflated concentrations of any of those pollutants can cause problems for people who are outdoors – and especially for people who are sensitive to pollutants due to various afflictions like asthma, COPD, heart disease and emphysema. The agency provides online reports and interactive maps that show air quality for all counties in Wisconsin. Visit airquality.wi.gov/home/map for more information.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers an online map that monitors smoke in North America as well as information on indoor air quality. Visit www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/epht/air.htm and www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/air/index.htm for more information.

This is an original article written for Agri-View, a Lee Enterprises agricultural publication based in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit AgriView.com for more information.

Jason Maloney is an "elderly" farm boy from Marinette County, Wisconsin. He's a retired educator, a retired soldier and a lifelong Wisconsin resident. He lives on the shore of Lake Superior with his wife, Cindy Dillenschneider, and Red, a sturdy loyal Australian Shepherd.

Daily Ag News and Market information from across the midwest.

Wisconsin dairy breakfasts celebrate June Dairy Month. Agri-View is publishing a calendar weekly in print, as well as online, with updates as …

We stayed in a motel a few weeks ago and I was wakened several times during the night by someone sawing wood in the adjoining room. At first I…

Hello friends,

Memorial Day weekend was the sort-of unofficial start to summer even though the solstice is still a few weeks away. In my neck of the woods it…