Air Quality Advisory In MA As Wildfire Smoke Enters Region

WORCESTER, MA — Expect poorer air quality in Massachusetts Friday due to distant wildfire smoke drifting into the region.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued an air quality alert for central and western Massachusetts. The smoke will reduce air quality to a point that will be unhealthy for sensitive groups like seniors, children, people with respiratory diseases and pregnant women.

"Surface smoke from distant wildfires will continue to influence fine particle levels during the day. Fine particle levels should average in the Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) range, with the highest levels expected in central and western areas," DEP said.

The air quality alert includes all of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties.

Large wildfires are burning right now across California and states including Montana and Idaho. But some of the largest fires in North America are burning across the Canadian Rockies.

On top of the smoke, Friday will be partly cloudy with highs in the low or mid 80s for the central and western parts of the state, according to the National Weather Service.