Central Mass. under air quality alert as wildfire smoke rolls in from Canada
WORCESTER – An air-quality alert is in effect for Worcester and much of Massachusetts through midnight as winds carry smoke from severe wildfires near Halifax, Nova Scotia.
There are reports of mandatory evacuations of thousands of homeowners in the Canadian province, as the trail of smoke from the wildfires is impacting all of Massachusetts, except for the state’s southeast region, said Alan Dunham, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Norton.
The state Department of Environmental Protection sets the alert and its duration.
Fine particle levels will elevate at times into the Moderate and Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range, according to the department's website. Sensitive groups include people suffering with heart and lung diseases, and they should minimize their outdoor activities during the alert because of sensitivity to fine particles in the air, said a department spokeswoman.
High pressure in the atmosphere exists as the smoke moves west and northwest, Dunham explained.
As for what happens after midnight, Dunham noted it's too soon to tell, as satellite images show a new plume of smoke moving southeast from Nova Scotia.
“We’ll see how it pans out,” he said.
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @henrytelegram
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Air quality alert in Central Mass. due to Nova Scotia wildfire smoke
