Why is it so smoky in Knoxville? Drought, wildfires create poor air quality concerns with little relief in sight

The wildfire that broke out Nov. 6 near Rocky Top has been contained, and rain is on the horizon. But if you step outside, or open your windows, your nose and eyes will immediately be assailed by the pervasive smoke that has been lingering in Knox County for days.

The air quality index, which jumped up to the unhealthy range Wednesday in Knoxville, showed a drop to the poor range by Thursday morning. But that measurement is not likely to decrease any time soon. Burn bans and the threat of drought are signs that the miserable conditions will continue, at least for a while.

Is the Rocky Top fire fully contained?

As of the morning of Nov. 9, the wildfire map from the Tennessee Division of Forestry shows the fire near Rocky Top that was first reported Nov. 6 is at 100% containment. The fire was mapped at 397 acres and 38 personnel remained on site.

"Without the help from our municipal and volunteer fire departments, and the local firefighting personnel who have responded in the last few days, 52 homes and 43 outbuildings could have been impacted by this wildfire," Anderson County EMA Director Brice Kidwell said Wednesday afternoon.

Firefighters with the state forestry division continued to fight the blaze, monitor fire lines, and reinforce the lines they've already dug to help contain the fire.

Kidwell said newly fallen leaves and wind gusts were challenging the forestry team's efforts, however.

"We strongly encourage citizens not to burn any leaves or anything else outdoors at this time," Kidwell said.

Why does it still smell like smoke in Knox County and what does that mean for my health?

Smoke from multiple wildfires, including those currently burning in East Tennessee and surrounding states, is affecting the air quality. While the wildfires are expected to continue for some time, the air quality can change hourly primarily due to changing wind directions and other weather-related events.

You can check the Air Quality Index for your ZIP code by going to AirNow.gov. The index for Knoxville currently is in the moderate range, meaning the air quality is acceptable. However, there may be a moderate health concern for those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.

Particulate matter is the main pollutant of concern from wildfire smoke. Particles from smoke tend to be very small, and therefore can be inhaled into the deepest recesses of the lungs. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases.

Tennessee wildfire map: How to track smoke and wildfires

You can track the latest wildfire and smoke information on this Tennessee wildfire and smoke map, which has data that is updated hourly based on input from multiple incident and other sources.

The map shows wildfires, newly reported fires, and prescribed fires, areas of smoke with differing densities, red flag warnings and fire weather watches. The page also has a list of reported fires, as well as summaries of fires and smoke by region.

Tennessee wildfire, smoke map: Track latest wildfires, red flag warnings

Is there a burn ban for Knoxville and Knox County?

Due to the continued fire risk and elevated air quality in our area, open burning of any kind currently is banned in Knox County, Rural Metro Fire posted on Facebook Thursday morning.

Knox County Air Quality Management issued a mandatory ban on open burning in Knox County, meaning anyone holding an open burn permit should postpone burning until further notice. The ban encompasses camp fires, bonfires, and any and all other types of outdoor open burning.

The Knoxville Fire Department posted on Facebook that open burning is banned, including recreational or ceremonial fires, and in portable outdoor fireplaces.

Weather forecast calls for rain, but will that curb smoke?

The National Weather Service forecasted increasing clouds Thursday with a few sprinkles. Greater rain coverage is expected to return Thursday night and Friday as a cold front moves across the region. Rainfall amounts will likely be light, however.

New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are predicted for Thursday night, and similar amounts are forecasted for Friday. And that's not good news for the air quality, which is predicted to remain in the poor range for the next 24 hours.

Drought conditions continue to worsen across the Tennessee Valley and Southern Appalachians, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported. Notably drier than normal conditions have been occurring across the region. And that means fire conditions are slowly deteriorating across the area.

Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee wildfires, drought cause poor air quality